Magistrates voted unanimously at September 15’s meeting to table discussion of the annexation.
Judge/Executive Stan Humphries said, “I attended the last City Council meeting to show what our architect presented to us in the way of needs for utility services for the new building. I was told by the city that our only option to gain utility service would be to agree to be annexed into the City of Cadiz.”
Humphries added that the County possessed a survey and legal description for the five-acre tract purchased and donated by John LeNeave. He added that the property had no frontage to East Noel Drive, the present city boundary, noting the city would have to annex land owned by other property owners to maintain a contiguous city limit.
“I talked to the Mayor (Lyn Bailey),” said Radio News Reporter Alan Watts during the Meeting. “He said that John LeNeave would be glad to have his property annexed.”
Magistrate Doug Taylor asked Humphries to list benefits and detriments of the annexation.
Humphries said that the center would gain service from city water and sewer, and enjoy city police and fire protection. “That would mean workers at the facility would have to pay city payroll tax. Could the county do it without these services? Possibly. Though it would be more difficult.”
If annexed, the new Senior Citizens’ Center would be required to purchase a building permit from the City of Cadiz. Contractors would have to purchase a city privilege license and provide a list of subcontractors to do the same, according to City Ordinance 08-01. Workers at the job site and employees of the finished building would have to pay a 1.5 percent payroll tax.
Taylor inquired if Humphries knew of any other property owners or entities obtaining city utilities beyond city limits. Humphries replied that there were some, though the city recently changed some policies requiring new customers to be annexed before acquiring utilities.
“We don’t to be without essential services, but we don’t want to be singled out as a lone entity in an annexation. I have no problems being annexed with other property owners and entities as part of a larger plan. I would like to see the city’s master plan for the future, and know that the Judge cannot provide this now.”
Humphries said that if the city intends to annex other properties as part of a growth plan, it was not presented to him at the last council meeting.
For more on the annexation proposal and other Fiscal Court actions, read The Cadiz Record.
