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Residents say it’s not too late to stop annexation | By: By Amanda Clark, Graphic Staff Writer | Nashville Graphic, October 22, 2008

Rocky Mount, NC - Residents fighting the proposed annexation say it's not too late for the General Assembly to approve a moratorium against forced annexations.

Kathy Warren, who lives in one of the areas proposed for annexation, said there's still time for the General Assembly to approve a bill that puts a temporary moratorium on forced annexations.

"It's not dead," Warren said. "They're working on resurrecting it."

Warren said she wants residents to know that there is still time to fight Rocky Mount's plans to annex over 1,700 acres of land in Nash and Edgecombe Counties, a majority of which is in Nash County. Warren said though the most recent version of a bill to place a nine-month moratorium on annexations was not passed, she said a Joint Legislative Study Commission on Municipal Annexation has been studying the annexation laws and will report their findings back to the General Assembly.

The Committee, a non-standing committee, is comprised of 14 Senate appointments and 14 House appointments. Four members in each group are public members.

Senator A.B. Swindell confirmed that even though the legislature ended, the study commission continues to meet.

"Any legislation that has not passed both bodies and become law is dissolved after the 2007 general assembly," Swindell said. "But the study commission continues to work."

"We're in a situation where everything is fluid," Swindell said. "I think it's still fluid. There's not a moratorium going on. (But) there is a study commission going on."

"I suppose it's not over until it's over," he added.

Swindell said he has spoken with many residents who are concerned about the pending annexation. He said he has worked hard to let legislators in Raleigh know his feelings on the annexation issues but added that he is not part of the Commission that is studying the laws.

"I have done everything I can to stand up and tell people I am opposed to involuntary annexation but I am not the majority leader who decides what comes up," Swindell said. "I'm doing everything I can to make it clear in Raleigh how I feel. I don't know what else I could have done as a State Senator."

Residents of the Oak Level community have put together a coalition, Oak Level Community Against Forced Annexation, to fight the annexation that would put their homes in the city limits of Rocky Mount. A website has been developed and provides information on the annexation including dates of meetings. The website's address is www.olcafa.org.

The community has put together a special meeting on Saturday for all residents from the areas proposed. The meeting will be held at Oak Level Baptist Church Saturday, October 25 at 10 a.m.

On October 27, the group plans to present a petition to city officials during the City of Rocky Mount Council meeting at 4 p.m.

On November 24, a formal public informational meeting will be held by Rocky Mount City Council at First Baptist Church in downtown Rocky Mount. The meeting location was moved to the church to accommodate the expected large crowd. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m.

A public hearing on the annexation will be held on December 8 at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church.

On December 18, Rocky Mount's City Council will consider adopting the annexation ordinance.