The Albert Lea City Council approved the annexation of 73.2 acres on the east edge of town, but it held off on approving the installation of utilities following concerns by residents affected.

So now the land along 770th Avenue — also called Freeborn County Road 45 — is on track to be part of the city, but the process to begin extending sewer and water will have to wait two weeks.

The annexation resolution now goes to Bancroft Township for approval.

Bloomington lawyer Don Weber spoke on behalf of his mother, Irene Weber, saying he never received Bancroft Township’s petition and other requested documents.

“That’s a real nonstarter for us. It is hard to respond when you can’t get a copy of it,” Weber said.

And he said the annexation unfairly treats people who kept up on water and sewer issues. They are being treated the same as homeowners who did not.

Engineer Steve Jahnke said this meeting was the first he had heard the request for the petition for annexation. He did give some of the figures requested but some were given verbally and he hadn’t known more was sought.

Other residents also spoke about problems with being aware of the petition. Several city leaders noted that the petition came from Bancroft County. The document is the township’s to circulate.

Councilor Al “Minnow” Brooks said he has questions regarding the annexation not being in the best interest of the city until the council is assured all the communication from the township to the affected residents is completed.

Councilor Vern Rasmussen said most communication issues came from the township, not the city. He said it is unfair to city staff to answer questions concerning the township. He noted the township made the request for annexation, not the other way around.

“Really, the city is not driving the ship,” he said.

Brooks said even though the request came from the township, the people become city residents once the annexation passes, so the City Council should respond to their worries.

“It didn’t involve the city, but it will involve the city,” Brooks said.

The Bancroft Township petition did have signatures from a majority of the residents within the 73.2 acres.

The total cost of the sewer and water installation is $347,588, with $252,176 assessed to adjacent landowners over a 15-year period.

Other residents had concerns about the cost of installation. Bev Torgerson said she never heard of a township meeting and had questions about if her pipes exit on the side of the house opposite the road. She said the cost of connection is too expensive for her. Others spoke about being able to afford new pipes on their properties to reach the utilities.

Jahnke noted engineers will visit and consult with homeowners about how to connect.

Dennis Gore said his mother has a well and septic system only a few years old that cost thousands of dollars, only now having to pay again.

The vote to table the approval on the sewer work came on a 4-2 vote, with Brooks and Rasmussen opposed and Ellen Kehr absent. Brooks said he merely wanted to move it to later in the meeting because the agenda had the construction item before the annexation item.

When the annexation came up, many of the annexation opponents had left the meeting. Councilors seemed to want to table it, too, but after hearing from the city clerk that Bancroft Township cannot proceed without a resolution from Albert Lea, the councilors approved on a 5-1 vote to proceed with annexation. The approval came with Albert Lea paying Bancroft Township three years of existing taxes derived from the area, rather than the standard five years.

Rasmussen made the motion, noting that in cases when Albert Lea requests an annexation, the city had done five years. He said in this case, Bancroft Township made the request, “so I feel we should pay only three years of taxes.”

Look to the Tribune on Wednesday for other news stemming from the meeting.