Residents question annexation proposal

By John Howell
About 20 Pope area residents met with Pope Town Attorney Tommy Schuler, Town Clerk Tracy Holcomb and urban planner Mike Slaughter Tuesday, most to object an annexation process that will, if adopted, take them into the town’s corporate limits.
Pope’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen in January passed an ordinance to begin the annexation process to take the Hentz Road approach from I-55, a corridor on the east side of Highway 51, a corridor on the west side of present corporate limits  and a larger area south of present municipal limits. (See map of proposed area in the Friday, May 5 edition, page 2A)
Tuesday’s hearing was scheduled in response to the town’s petition to the Panola County Chancery Court to have the extension of municipal boundaries approved. It was moved from the main Batesville courtroom to the smaller courtroom to allow Chancery Judge Mitch Lundy to hear other matters scheduled for court.
“This annexation … is really something that’s been, in my opinion, planned and thought out for what’s in the best interest of the community, not just for the best interest of the town, but for the community,” Slaughter said as he began remarks about the benefits offered by annexation.
These included increased sales tax revenue from annexed businesses, including the Dollar General store on Hentz Road, fire insurance savings with the Class Seven fire insurance rating annexation would bring, police protection and street lighting among them.
Responding to a question about the Class Seven fire insurance rating, Slaughter said that the Mississippi State Rating Bureau Director Ty Windham had reviewed the annexation plans and assured him that the lower cost Class Seven rating would be immediately extended to the annexed area and continue without requiring additional volunteers in the Pope Volunteer Fire Dept. and without the purchase of additional fire equipment.
Slaughter, responding to a question from Thad Campbell, said that the proposed annexation area will generate about $10,000 in additional ad valorem taxes for Pope.
“Then, what is the expected cost of all these services expanding out to a very, very, very rural area?” Campbell asked. “I want numbers,” he added.
“Here’s why,” Campbell continued, requesting dollar amounts that expanding services is projected to cost over a five-year period to compare with anticipated revenue.
“There will be a chance for discovery,” Schuler replied, referring to the chancery annexation process.
“Why is that in discovery?” Campbell asked. “Why is that not on the table right now?”
“That’s just the way the process works,” the attorney replied.
“That number should be there,” Campbell said. “That tells me you don’t have it.
“If you can’t provide those numbers, it’s an easy ‘no,’” Campbell continued.  “It (the annexation ordinance) says ‘one year,’ or (when it becomes) ‘economically feasible.’ So there have got to be some projections somewhere on what is economically feasible.”
Campbell also said he believed the town would use annexation proceeds to repair the town’s sewer treatment system.
“The sewer system, which is a proprietary system, is supported by the sewer user fees,” Schuler said. Any tax revenue generated by the annexation would not be used to expand the sewer system. It could be used, but it normally would not be used,” he added.
Holcomb said that during her nine years as town clerk, the town’s accounts and the sewer system’s account have always been kept separate.
Further discussion about the sewer system indicated that the town took over the “dilapidated,” Holcomb said, sewer system constructed in the 1980s by the Long Creek Sewer System to continue service that included Pope School. It was built as an experimental “gray water” system that utilizes residential septic tanks connected to sewerage that transfers effluent into lagoons for treatment.
“Cut out the main part of your south part here,” said Matt Hill, referring to annexation of the large area south of present corporate limits, “and you cut out the main part of your problem.”
Hill also said that he is a candidate for mayor.
Later he asked for a show of hands from people who lived in the area to the south of present corporate limits and almost all raised their hands.
“I’m for getting the east side of the highway (U.S. 51) … because it will give us control over the highway where we have wrecks,” Hill continued, citing problem areas.
“The town board could always come in and amend the annexation to delete areas; and the court, for that matter, can come in and delete areas,” Schuler said. “Certainly it is a possibility.”
“So it sounds like to me that some of you folks need to step up and be a part of the board of aldermen as it grows. That way you can make some of the decisions,” said Hosanna Worship Center Pastor Damon Plummer, whose church on Hentz Road will be annexed.
Schuler asked anyone objecting to write their names and addresses so that they can be contacted about developments as the annexation moves forward.
Chancery Judge Mitch Lundy continued the annexation hearing until September 22. Copies of his scheduling order will be mailed to all who gave their names and addresses, according to Schuler.
There was no representative from the Town of Courtland which was named a defendant in the petition because the proposed annexed area is within three miles of that town’s corporate limits.
Pope’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meet each first Monday of the month.
(Clarification: Town clerk Holcomb stated mistakenly that FEMA flood insurance is not available outside a municipality. Flood insurance is available in unincorporated areas because Panola County has adopted its own Flood Plain Management Ordinance, according to a spokesman for the Panola County Land Development Office.)