Town’s McNutt Subdivision residents
want county annexation

By Diane Spoor
Staff Reporter

A representative for the residents of the McNutt Subdivision attended the regular meeting of the Clearwater County interim council on Tuesday, May 27. Jessica Moncrieff asked the council to consider annexing the McNutt Subdivision from the Town of Rocky Mountain House. 

Moncrieff provided some information to county council on the history of the subdivision. The land was annexed into the town from the county in 1981. The homes within the subdivision are serviced with their own water wells and septic systems. The area does not have streetlights, high speed internet or fire hydrants Moncrieff said insurance costs are higher in the area due to not having fire hydrants The area does have garbage, recycling and compost pick-up through the town, which is part of monthly utility bills.

Moncrieff said the residents requested the town consider a sub-class for taxation to reduce the taxes the McNutt residents pay due to the “lack of services.”

In her presentation to county council, Moncrieff explained, “A town hall meeting was held by the town on Sept. 4, 2024, to discuss residents’ concerns. During this Q&A, the town CAO reported to the residents that property taxes are not used for water or sewer, so our taxes were not going towards this. He also reported that town water and sewer systems would increase our property values resulting in a higher taxation rate should they put those services into the subdivision. The town’s report compared an unlike area which skewed the data and then reported the subdivision is actually costing more than other areas of the town and creating a subclass would increase the taxation of residences.”

Moncrieff added that given the lack of services, the subdivision is more suited to be taxed as a county residence. 
Moncrieff told county council “the residents are not asking for any additional services just the taxation” in regards to the annexation. 

Councillor Genny Mehlahff asked the county administration if there are other examples of this type of request from other municipalities, as annexations are usually moving a rural area into an urban. CAO Rick Emmons said he was not aware of any. Emmons said he has been part of other annexations in his career.

“The criteria always is that it cannot fall in means of a perceived tax grab. To elaborate on that, the reason for annexation has to be for justification of lack of growth room. So, for this to happen Clearwater County would have to prove out the need for this land, to grow. And it can’t be developed, otherwise higher levels view it as a tax grab,” explained Emmons.

Mehlhaff asked Emmons if there were examples within the county that could provide comparables for possible taxes. Emmons suggested Clearwater Estates may be the closest. Mehlhaff suggested if this idea moves further in the annexation process it may be a good idea if administration could bring back comparables to give the residents of McNutt subdivision an idea of what taxes and services may be.

The county council accepted the presentation as information.