Town trustees sign annexation petition, set procedural deadlines for public hearing

The town trustees voted to sign a petition that begins the statutory process to annex a parcel of property, the board heard at its meeting.

The legal advisor explained the relevant provision, citing Section 5.1 of the annexation statute and saying that for 100% ownership annexations "you have to file a petition" and that trustees must sign the petition in an open public meeting. The advisor told trustees a public hearing must be held within 30 days of the petition filing and that any ordinance to annex cannot be signed until at least 14 days after that hearing.

Trustees moved and seconded the motion to proceed with signing the petition. The motion carried on a voice vote; the chair stated "all in favor" and the motion passed with no recorded roll-call tally. Trustees then approved a separate motion directing the clerk-treasurer not to accept the signed petition until July 21 so that publishing and timing requirements would align with the scheduled hearing window.

Under the procedure described to the board, the sequence is petition → public hearing (with the right of the public to be heard) → ordinance consideration at a subsequent meeting. Board members discussed publication timing: the notice must appear in the newspaper at least 20 days before the hearing and the hearing was expected to be scheduled before the board's regular August meeting dates as calculated by the advisor.

No ordinance vote occurred at the meeting; the trustees were advised that final approval of annexation would occur only after the statutorily required hearing and the 14-day waiting period.