The next stage in the Columbia annexation case will be an April 28 status conference following Wednesday’s hearing in Marion County Chancery Court.
Chancellor Deborah Gambrell presided at the packed hearing. Gambrell asked anyone who objected to stand, and nearly everyone in the seated section rose. The official count was 35 people who stood.
“We already have everything we need; there is nothing for us to gain by annexation,” Ann Ray of Lakeview subdivision said.
Mayor Justin McKenzie spoke after the hearing, discussing why the city needs to annex, including an aging population.
“When you reach 65 you receive a certain discount on your ad valorem taxes; we have quite a few landowners in town that are not paying land taxes any longer. That is having a negative impact on the budget for the city,’ he said.
McKenzie said everyone still expects the same services they have come to expect in any municipality. He said there was over a little over 6,000 in the city. Just outside the current city limits new subdivisions over the years have been built and people have been leaving the city to live in the newer houses, he said.
While there are beautiful homes in city, there are not many areas available for new residential construction within the city limits as it is currently situated, McKenzie said.
During Wednesday’s hearing, those who objected placed their names and addresses on paper, which was filed with the court and given to J. Chadwick Mask, lawyer for the city, and to each person who objected.
Then Columbia lawyer Joseph Turney spoke up requesting a continuance in the matter to allow those opposing the annexation a chance to obtain legal representation.
Mask moved to set a status conference for the next term Gambrell would be back in Marion County. Gambrell agreed and set the matter down for April 28. At the status conference the parties will have an opportunity to state where they are in preparing the matter for trial.
At the hearing Gambrell stressed the importance of all sides being transparent. She stated she wanted no last minute surprises but everyone be fair with all parties involved.
Gambrell allowed a few minutes of questions by the citizens. Two people asked why the citizens could not vote whether or not they are for the annexation. Gambrell said the citizens are given a right to voice their opinion and that was why there was the hearing.
She also said they are welcome to voice their opinions through court filings in the matter. They could file their documents through a lawyer or represent themselves.
Another question was if someone opposes the annexation but lives outside the area in question, could they participate. Gambrell said no, it has to be people who are directly affected by it.
Mask said after the hearing he was not surprised by the turnout. ‘That is pretty much par for the course for annexation,’ he said.
City Attorney Lawrence Hahn said, ‘I think it is always good when people have the opportunity to come out and see how the process works and express their opinions. We will see where the process takes us.’
A question posed by one citizen was why the annexation is not covering the northern part of Lakeview Road and Sanctuary Drive. McKenzie said because that area is in the East Marion School District, and they are not allowed to redraw school district lines.
Mask said in the courtroom the citizens were more than welcome to come to the hearing April 28.
Aldermen approved an annexation ordinance officially setting the boundaries on Aug. 20, 2019, after two years of studying the issue. If approved, the plan would add about 3 square miles and 945 residents to the city limits, raising Columbia’s population to just over 7,000.
After Gambrell rules, an appeal could be filed with the Mississippi Supreme Court, which has the final say.
