City sought to annex

Thirty years ago this week, Portland City Council accepted plans for annexation.

On Nov. 7, 1988, council agreed to move forward with an annexation proposal put fourth by council member Neil Medler.

The proposal included the addition of land on each side of the city, including the north to include The Brown Bowl and Oakwood Mobile Home Park, east to include Jay County Fairgrounds and the Morton Street extension project that was then under construction, south to include Portland Country Club and the adjacent streets and west to include Jay County Hospital and the area where Walmart is now located.

The goal of the annexation effort was to begin collecting tax dollars from those residents who were already seen as benefiting from city services.

“We’re already furnishing parks for all these people and there is a small group of people (city residents) who are being strangled (by paying) for the advantages of these services,” said Mayor Jim Lunginbill. “It’s just time to do it.

“These people are getting all the advantages and aren’t paying for them.”

The proposal was to be turned over to city attorney Lon Racster to prepare ordinances to set the process in motion. The annexation process required public hearings as well.