Morton County doesn't appear to be in a position to help Mandan and the Mandan School District with proposed street and pedestrian walkway improvements near the new junior high school - at least not this year, Commissioner Andy Zachmeier said at Tuesday's commission meeting.

Today, representatives of the school district, city of Mandan and Morton County are meeting at 4 p.m. at the County Shop to discuss how the improvements, proposed by city Commissioner Tim Helbling, can be accomplished by the time the school opens next fall.

The city of Mandan had tried to annex property adjacent to the new school in order to create a special assessment district to pay for the improvements. For more than a year, the city battled with landowners opposing the annexation, until finally an administrative law judge ruled in favor of the landowners, effectively ending the forced annexation attempt.

At Mandan's last commission meeting, Helbling said the improvements still need to be put in place for the safety of the students and others using Eighth Avenue NW and 27th Street to reach the new school. The city's opinion is that since the property in question is in the county, it's Morton's responsibility to participate.

"In visiting with Kirsten Baesler (school board president) and Tim Helbling, they feel money is available to help with some of the projects in the county. They did say the city and school district are willing to work with the county," Zachmeier said. "During the city commission meeting, the mayor (Ken LaMont) and Dan Ulmer (city commissioner) were insistent the county take immediate action because school starts in the fall and there is a pedestrian safety issue on 27th Street and Eighth Avenue."

But Zachmeier said it would be difficult for the county to participate this year since its budget is set and projects approved. It will be at least another year before Morton could take part.

"Even if we try to make some special assessment district in regard to the people of the failed annexation attempt, more than 50 percent would oppose it and it would be dead in the water," Zachmeier said.

Helbling did suggest that installation of a bike path or sidewalk along 27th Street could be paid for with funds the city contributes to the county park district, Zachmeier said. Or, it could be built by the county road department at a minimal cost to the city, school district and county.

"I have visited with people that were in the attempted north side annexation and they have specifically voiced opposition to any special assessment and will oppose any attempt," Zachmeier said. "They'll have no problem coming up with a 50 percent protest. They're concerned the city commission and school district are using the county as a back door to get a project which they lost in the failed annexation."

City administrator Jim Neubauer said that today's meeting was just a chance for all the involved entities to sit down and discuss the situation. He said he doesn't expect that anything concrete will come out of the meeting.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)