Wood calls city officials chicken
After expressing a desire not to be annexed, some Newtown residents won’t be. But other residents who haven’t voiced opposition might face annexation.
City officials have decided not to annex more of Newtown at this time. Although there was no official vote, a consensus of the board members was given last week regarding which way they would vote if the measure was before the board.
Aldermen Bobby Kirby and Patti Nunley were against the proposed Newtown annexation. Because they have property in the area, Mayor Royce Davenport and Vice Mayor Donald Hillis will have to abstain in any future votes.
With only three board members remaining, there would be no hope of the measure passing with a majority since that requires four votes.
The annexation decision received a chicken-clucking response, several in fact, from Alderman Billy Wood to indicate city aldermen are scared.
He believes the decision not to annex is a cowardly move on behalf of officials not willing to withstand a possible outcry from county residents.
‘It shows we will all fall under the desk and hide because someone is upset,’ said Wood. ‘We need to annex our 25 percent every two years just like Morrison and everyone else is doing. The residents of this city should be screaming bloody murder at us for not having the courage to do our jobs.’
While city officials were divided about Newtown, the two parcels along Northwood Lane received a definite yes for annexation from everyone. However, Hillis was absent from the annexation discussion.
Areas near Nashville Highway and the Red Road are still on the annexation fence. Officials requested more information when it comes to both areas.
As for Highway 55 bypass, from the current city limits to Warren County High School, officials would like maps drawn depicting annexation of 200, 300, and 500 feet on both sides of the highway, mostly right of way land. Depending on what those maps show, officials will then choose how deep they want to annex, if at all.
When it comes to Hoover Drive and Garth Circle, both near Red Road, officials are considering annexing one while leaving the other alone. While some Garth Circle residents have voiced a desire to be in the city, Hoover Drive residents have not.
Given a cost analysis on how much it would take to annex the area and supply those property owners with all the amenities of city residents, including water, sewer, trash pick-up, paved roads, city police protection and city fire protection, officials will consider annexation of Garth Circle. At that time, the decision will be made to annex one, both, or neither.
As pointed out by Patti Nunley, the land along the bypass isn’t filled with people and it is undeveloped land. When it is sold for development, the new owners will ask to be annexed in order to get sewer and water. Taking this approach will gain the city revenue in the long run while costing very little.
Annexing areas with subdivisions will cost city residents a lot of money up front. Sewer and water will have to be established, and paving roads, if necessary, is expensive. Also, giving them all the services city residents expect, like trash pick-up, as well as police and fire protection, might put a strain on departments.
Also, annexing people who don’t want to be annexed, can get costly. As McMinnville has discovered, such annexation cases can end up in court.
‘You don’t want to go out there and annex a crowded subdivision that doesn’t want to be annexed,’ said Nunley. ‘That doesn’t make any sense. That’s going to cost us as much as it is going to gain us.’
Responded Wood, ‘Those people that will come in here and call us every name in the book don’t outweigh the 12,000 people we represent. Shame on us for not doing our jobs.’
Annexation glance
A look at annexation by
McMinnville and nearby cities:
McMinnville
Has annexed 151 acres since 2003
Manchester
Has annexed 1,042 acres since 2004
Cookeville
Has annexed more than 10 square miles to increase the land area in the city by one-third over the past seven years.