The Greenwood City Council, which has recently been talking informally about annexation in order to increase the city’s tax base, got a glimpse Tuesday of what annexation would entail.
Mike Slaughter, representing Slaughter & Associates of Oxford, addressed the council about what the city would have to do to start the process. He had discussed the issue with Ward 1 Councilman Johnny Jennings and Ward 4’s Charles McCoy, who invited him to speak.
He said Greenwood had 22,000 residents in 1970, and that number has dropped to about 15,000, according to the 2010 Census.
Slaughter said the population per housing unit in Greenwood has dropped from three people per unit to around 2.3 people over the same time period.
He said that if the city is to do any annexing, the council must first arrange a feasibility study regarding the area or areas contemplated for annexation.
The council has not hired anyone to conduct an annexation study, but Slaughter & Associates provides such services.
Once a study is completed, the council would have to approve an annexation ordinance based upon the study. After that, the city must file a petition in Leflore County Chancery Court for a hearing on the proposed annexation.
Slaughter said the burden of proof is on the city to show the need for the expansion. The court would then issue its opinion on the proposal and provide the opportunity for an appeal, he said.
Slaughter stressed that school district boundaries do not change with annexation.
In other action, the council heard from Susan Bailey, director of the Public Works Department, about once-a-week garbage pickup. The plan is to begin the citywide program on Feb. 23.
She said residents should have their rollout carts on the curb for pickup by 7 a.m. Pickup will be done Monday through Thursday.
Bailey said those residents who have backdoor service or alley pickup need not place their carts in front of their homes. She said residents who wish to change to smaller 65-gallon carts may call the Public Works Department.
Anne Marie Kornelis, recycling coordinator for Greenwood-Leflore Recycling, said curbside pickup of recyclables will begin in late March.
So far, she said, 210 residents in Northeast Greenwood have expressed an interest in curbside pickup, while 79 in Northwest Greenwood, 11 in South Greenwood and seven in Baptist Town have expressed a desire to participate.
Participants are charged $15 for two plastic bins, which hold the recyclables.
Kornelis said if residents of five houses on the same street or five houses in close proximity to one another show an interest, pickup can be arranged. As of now, Northeast Greenwood will have pickup on Tuesdays and Northwest Greenwood on Thursdays.
Also Tuesday, resident Jelani Barr criticized the recent action of the council in retaining the Jackson law firm of Butler Snow in an election challenge between Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams and Sheriel Perkins.
Barr said the arrangement makes it difficult to determine if taxpayers are paying for the mayor’s defense or the city’s.
“Everything should be completely transparent,” Barr said.
City Attorney Don Brock said the matter is now before a judge and that the council couldn’t comment publicly on it. He assured Barr that all the city’s legal expenses would be separate from those of McAdams.
Perkins has challenged the results of the June 4, 2013, election, which McAdams won by 206 votes.
The council approved:
• The appointment of Emma Bell to the Civil Service Commission.
• The appointment of La’Teisha Farmer to the Greenwood Tourism Commission for Ward 5.
nAllowing C Spire to do boring on along a city right of way for a fiber optic cable.
• A donation of $250 to Healthy Living Mississippi, a 5K run scheduled for March 7. The donation will be in the form of a resolution at the March 3 council meeting.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
