By By Suzanne Monk / managing editor
Aug. 6, 2002
Two mayors squared off in Lauderdale County Chancery Court on Monday as hearings began on an annexation plan announced by the Marion Board of Aldermen in September 1999.
Both men are intent on making sure their people have room to grow.
Marion Mayor Malcolm Threatt says his town needs to expand to the east and northeast taking in land and businesses along Highway 45 and Highway 39 and increasing sales tax revenues.
The original annexation plan would have increased Marion's size from 2.94 square miles to 7.7 square miles. It has been scaled back and no longer includes the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Industrial Park.
Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith opposes Marion's annexation plans for two reasons: 1) The disputed area is in the "natural line of growth" for Meridian; and 2) More specifically, some of the areas Marion wants to annex overlap areas Meridian wants to annex.
The Meridian City Council announced its intention to annex property in all four directions at a July 16 meeting. The area in this proposed annexation includes 634 homes and 51 businesses, Briarwood Country Club, Eagle Pointe, a new industrial complex alone Interstate 20/59, the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Industrial Park and Northeast High School.
Fifteen to 20 people attended the first day of hearings many of them will testify. For the most part, they are business and home owners who would prefer not to be annexed at all.
Harold McBrayer is the developer of Southern Oaks subdivision and said he has completed eight houses so far.
O.C. Barham is owner of Barham Funeral Home on Highway 39.
Milton Jenkins, owner of Marion Tractor, does not want to be annexed by either Marion or Meridian.
Clay Garrett was in the courtroom representing his father, Jimmy Garrett.
Testimony continues today, as attorneys for both sides ask questions designed to demonstrate or refute Marion's ability to provide services in the proposed annexation area.
The Process:
A municipality's plans to annex surrounding territory must be approved by a chancery court judge. In this case, both local chancellors had conflicts of interest and recused themselves. Judge Jerry Mason lives in the city, Judge Sarah Springer in the county. A special chancellor from outside Lauderdale County will make the decision.