Clerical error prompts a second annexation hearing

Correction: Businessman Tom Patrick owns several buildings west of Havre, but the AmericInn is the only one that is included in the proposed annexation proposal before Havre City Council. This story originally mentioned other properties owned by Patrick, which are not included in the annexation plans.

Havre City Council will hold another hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday on the proposed annexation of property.

Council held a scheduled hearing on Monday. Although the council intended the hearing to be Monday, because of a clerical error, public notices indicated the meeting would be Sept. 19.

The annexation includes property adjacent to the city in every direction, but largely to the west of the city on Highway 2.

Businessman Tom Patrick, who co-owns the AmericInn, which is one of the properties proposed to be annexed, raised objections about the error at Monday’s hearing.

Patrick and others had complaints against the city for what Patrick called failure to follow proper procedures.

The notice Patrick and others who own property to be annexed received said the city council meeting was to be held on Sept. 19.

Patrick said his attorney was planning to attend the Thursday meeting, but they found out too late the meeting was actually on Monday.

“We don’t have a problem (with the annexation),” Patrick said. “They just have to do it right.”

After the meeting, it was decided to hold a special public hearing meeting on Thursday to remedy this clerical error.

“We advertised the 19th, and we will follow through with that,” Mayor Tim Solomon said.

The public hearing is a chance for those interested in asking the city council any questions they have about the issue at hand.

City Council will take a vote on the annexation in its next meeting on Oct. 7.

In other action:

• Council unanimously passed a resolution to assess a special property tax against properties in Havre for failure to pay a reasonable charge for nuisance weed control.

• Council unanimously passed a request from PJ’s Restaurant and Lounge and Shamrocks Bar & Casino to hold a parking lot party on Sept. 21.