Court order puts annexation on hold

JEFFERSON - A Jefferson County judge on Wednesday afternoon ruled in favor of the Coalition For a Better Jefferson's petition for a temporary restraining order to delay possible annexation of land on the city's south side.

The judge found the temporary restraining order would be put into place because a decision from the court on the coalition's request to order the city of Jefferson to send direct legislation to referendum is pending.

The restraining order temporarily prevents the city from annexing any parcels 15 acres or larger.

A proposed city ordinance annexing some property was up for its second reading at Tuesday's city council's regular session. The second reading of the ordinance would have officially annexed land owned by Roger and Beverly Sherman and William and Alice Pinnow in the town of Jefferson. With the temporary restraining order, the ordinance can not be voted upon at this time. The land has been proposed in the past as a site for a new Wal-Mart Supercenter store.

Patti Lorbecki of the coalition appeared before the Jefferson County Branch I Judge John Ullsvik's court with attorney David Halbrooks. The city was represented by its attorney Ben Brantmeier and other city officials.

The city has been split on this issue for many months, with one side actively supporting Wal-Mart building a store within the city and the other side adamantly opposing it.