Annexed property enters Havre Jan. 1

Havre and Hill County officials met Wednesday to discuss a smooth transition of property annexed into the city this fall, taking effect the first of the year, with other proposed annexations delayed at least until next fall.

The properties annexed stretch around the city limits, from the eastern side of Havre along U.S. Highway 2 to property on the west side of the city and more along the southern edge. The annexation includes 14 residential properties and eight pieces zoned as commercial.

Maps showing the new boundries are available at City Hall and the Hill County Courthouse.

Another planned annexation that included property stretching from the Holiday Village Mall through AmericInn was halted after property owners submitted a petition requesting a delay. In a split vote, the Havre City Council voted to delay annexing that property for a year.

The discussion Wednesday was to make certain city and county officials understood what was being annexed and which government would be responsible for what property — with Havre Interim Police Chief Gabe Matosich, Hill County Undersheriff Jamie Ross, Havre Public Works Director Dave Peterson and Hill County Road and Bridge Department Superintendent Jerry Otto all agreeing that the departments will take care of work as necessary.

“In the middle of the night it doesn’t matter … ,” Ross said. “We work pretty good with the police department anyhow.”

“I don’t see any problems going forward with law enforcement services,” he added.

Hill County Planner Clay Vincent said work is underway to update the maps so dispatchers will know which agency is primarily responsible for the area from which calls come.

Some confusion is caused by a change in state law — until about 10 years ago, when a community annexed land on one side of a road, it took responsibility for that road to its center line. Now, annexing property includes taking responsibility for the entire roadway.

That means maintenance of some roads are shared by the city and county, while others are the full responsibility of one agency or the other.

Otto and Peterson said their departments have worked together in the past and will continue to do so, including making “swaps” of responsibility where one agency can take care of road maintenance near an area where it is responsible in exchange for the other taking responsibility in another area.

Peterson said, for example, Havre Public Works employees, when they are out, sand on Bullhook Road at the south entrance to the Havre High School parking lot and at its intersection with 5th Avenue, although the road from 5th Avenue to that entrance actually is the county’s responsibility. That cooperation will continue, he said.

“All the little stuff that’s there, we’re not going to stop (doing the work),” Peterson said.