PIEDMONT - The sign on the Valley Market in Piedmont claims the town is "The best little city … in South Dakota."

As of tomorrow, that statement could be partly true.

The people of Piedmont, all 150 of them, will go to the ballot box today to decide whether to incorporate as South Dakota' newest city.

Organizers say the incorporation is to bring local control to the small hamlet, but some residents say it is to avoid annexation by Summerset, their neighbor to the south, which incorporated just two years ago.

Cece Seefeldt has lived in the Piedmont area for five years. Two and a half years ago, she moved to the Tails West subdivision, which is just outside the incorporation area. Despite not being able to vote, Seefeldt said the outcome will have a great effect on her.

"(Summerset) doesn't want us now, but someday they would," she said. "Once Piedmont has paid for infrastructure improvements and other changes."

When Piedmont residents began looking at the possibility of incorporating, they were first required to attempt to be annexed by Summerset because of its close proximity, but that request was denied.

Phil Anderson is one of those leading the drive to incorporate and said the residents of Summerset are wealthier, and it wouldn't be in their best interest to take on the residents and infrastructure of Piedmont.

Anderson said Piedmont is more interested in maintaining its uniqueness and regaining local control where Meade County cannot come through.

"The county is not set up to deal with more densely populated areas," he said. "They don't have the close contact to deal with those kinds of things."

He added that becoming a city would mean very little in the short term, because change will only come as the citizens request it.

If the vote passes, Meade County will set up an election for the residents to elect a board of trustees and select a chairman.

Anderson said the residents would like meetings to be conducted in a town-hall style with most of the residents attending. This way, a general consensus can be gauged without holding an official vote.

He said services would be minimal so that taxes could be, too, but with the formation of a local government, property taxes would ultimately increase.

Anderson said one benefit of being incorporated means the residents would have a stronger voice when they take issues to the Meade County Commissioners.

Seefeldt said she is happy with the way Piedmont is going about their process of incorporating because when Summerset went through the same process, she said they left out community input and deceived locals into becoming part of the city.

"It's just the way they went about it," she said. "There was no map and they pulled in businesses and residents. Why would we want to be a part of that?"

Seefeldt said her land is adjacent to the city of Summerset and she has to have approval from the city to modify her property.

"If that's the case then I should have been able to vote," she said.

Anderson said the residents of Piedmont don't want to include anyone that isn't interested in incorporating in the official boundaries of the city.

"We're trying to get a town composed of those who want to be incorporated," he said. "We're not going to do any involuntary annexations."

He said the Trails West subdivision, where Seefeldt lives, could be annexed by the city if the residents there are in favor of it. Seefeldt said that is something she is in favor of rather than being annexed by Summerset.

Anderson downplayed the controversy between the two towns because he said the two communities would have to work together if Piedmont incorporates.

"We're going to have to work with Summerset," he said. "The people of Piedmont want to maintain their identity as a small community. I think Summerset wants to grow."

If Piedmont incorporates, the first real test will come on Oct. 1, when the newly formed board of trustees will have to submit a budget request to the Meade County Auditor's Office.

"We're going to have to get to work right after (the election)," Anderson said.

This isn't the first time the small town has attempted to incorporate. Anderson said 15 years ago the residents soundly defeated the proposal, but that vote included residents who live far outside the boundaries that are being defined for this vote.

"They had the services like sewers and wells for water already," he said. "They still support us in getting incorporated, but they have no need for it."

In fact, Anderson said many residents are hesitant of new residential growth within the community because the cost of expanding infrastructure will be more than the income from the new residents' property taxes.

"I certainly don't see the residents bending over backwards to bring developers here for more residential housing," Anderson said.

He believes the key to growth will come from bringing in more commercial and retail growth.

Anderson added that some issues would have to be addressed as the city runs into problems. He said policing will still be covered by the Meade County Sheriff's Office, but if Piedmont passes local ordinances, they will have to hire a part-time constable to enforce the laws.

The main reason, Anderson said, most people are in favor of incorporation is so the heritage of the community can be preserved.

"The main crux is that we want to maintain the unique flavor of this community," he said. "It's the kind of town where the neighbors know who the kids are playing on the basketball court across the street."