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Lincoln Star ISD petition fails after split vote by Lincoln County commissioners
Summary
After a public hearing, Lincoln County commissioners rejected a petition to form the Lincoln Star Improvement and Service District. Commissioners split on the motion, and one commissioner excused herself from the vote amid public concerns about impartiality and prior county involvement.
Chairman Kent Connelly and Commissioner Melvin Shumway clashed over whether to approve a petition to form the Lincoln Star Improvement and Service District, and the motion failed after a split vote.
The ISD petition, presented by Brad Barham of TriSight, was described as a proposal to enable shared infrastructure—rail access, transloading, warehousing and related services—to encourage industrial development and diversify the county tax base. Barham said the ISD was conceived as “a Lincoln County solution, not a private benefit,” and stressed that the project participation agreement accounts for TriSight’s contributed resources.
Opponents pushed back. Dawn Marquardt, who identified herself as opposing the ISD after a year of public-record review, said the county’s prior actions and transfers raised questions about impartiality and overlapping involvement among the same individuals across related entities. "The appearance of impartiality matters, just as much as impartiality itself," Marquardt told the commissioners.
County grants writer Mary Crosby addressed statutory mechanics and the petition process, noting that 100% of the landowners had signed the petition and that, under the ISD statute, the district can raise money without automatically obligating county taxpayers who are not members of the district. Crosby said the statute supports industrial development to expand the tax base and that petition requirements and state approval are part of the process.
Commissioner Shumway moved to approve the Lincoln Star ISD petition; Chairman Connelly seconded and confirmed that Commissioner Teri Bowers was excusing herself from the vote. Connelly voted in favor; Shumway voted against. With the split vote and Bowers excused, the motion failed.
The hearing record includes concerns about land transfers (including discussion that approximately 136 acres were transferred to TriSight in connection with the project), the county’s prior financial commitments (a reported $500,000 loan to Criterium mentioned during public comment), and the assertion from TriSight’s presenter that the company’s contributed work to date “far exceed $3 million.” The commissioners did not adopt the ISD petition at the meeting; no procedural follow-up or new motion was recorded.
