KOTA Territory NewsMeade county commissioners vote yes on Box Elder Annexation

Meade county commissioners vote yes on Box Elder Annexation

Rachael Embler

Meade County commissioners voted unanimously to let Box Elder annex housing areas on Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Box Elder administrators just had to clear up a few key points to ease the minds of commissioners and area ranchers.

Commissioners tabled the request last week, concerned about the possible affect on agricultural land.

The Box Elder city planner told them Ag land won't be included in the annexation and the kicker for the commission were a few matters of convenience like the housing areas that will soon be out of the base Box Elder will provide water and sewage to the people and Meade County won't have to send their officers out.

"The sheriff is in Sturgis. When we get the calls then the sheriff has to run down to Ellsworth and take care of the issue. Now it will be box elder's problem," said Commission Chair Bob Mallow.

Although Box Elder Mayor Al Dial assured ranchers that city planning and zoning rules only apply within municipal boarders, they're still concerned.

They said they're relieved that the annexation doesn't include agricultural land, but they say that relief is only temporary.

"Things change, politics change, the base itself is very unstable, I mean that's the most polluted part of South Dakota property," said Rancher Marvin Kammerer.