VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City Board of Commissioners approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 1054 which, if approved upon second reading, it would give the city authority to construct infrastructure (water main, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and graded and graveled roads) from existing locations within city limits to the boundaries of newly annexed territories.

City Attorney Carl Martineck said the city would be further authorized to expend up to $150,000 from surplus funds generated by municipal utilities for the remainder of 2020 in order to cover associated engineering and construction costs. The ordinance would terminate at the end of 2020.

He said it is anticipated that in 2020, a portion of the funds would be allocated to construct infrastructure to the boundaries of property owned by Bridgetown Builders Inc., pending approval of a Developer’s Agreement with the city of Valley City and the Barnes Rural Water District.

Annexation of land for a proposed residential subdivision was approved by the Valley City Commission on April 7.

The development is located southeast of Valley City on the south side of I-94.

The city commission narrowly approved of a first reading of the infrastructure funding ordinance. The vote was 3 to 2 with commissioners Jeff Erickson and Ross Powell voting against the motion during a special city commission meeting on April 28th.

The second reading of Ordinance No. 1054 is scheduled for the regular commission meeting on May 5, along with further discussion of the subdivision development plan.