To their credit, members of the Blue Ridge City Council put an annexation plan on hold when they met Tuesday.
Council member Nathan Fitts accused Mayor Donna Whitener of lying to the council to get the plan passed in February. Newly elected Councilman Mike Panter said when it happened, as a citizen, he couldn’t believe the community hadn’t been informed and involved.
Mayor Whitener and Councilwoman Robbie Cornelius spoke of a council meeting where the annexation plan was discussed. Neither Fitts or Councilwoman Rhonda Haight remembered any such discussion, which hints an illegal meeting may have occurred. At the very least, information was not shared.
Now, council members say they will take a look at annexation the way it should be done, with input from all involved. That’s the right way. Good for them.
In that process, very careful consideration needs to be given to the cost of providing services versus any financial gain for the city. This is the council’s primary responsibility.
The annexation would include just the highways between Blue Ridge and Gravely Gap and Blue Ridge and Forge Mill Crossing.
This will demand an immediate need for city police to patrol the highways. The force does not have the manpower or resources to do this and maintain the current level of protection for city residents. Is the city willing to finance necessary manpower and upgrades? They said no at the meeting to buying a new police car this year.
What if no one along the routes, or only a few, chose to be annexed into the city? Will those property tax revenues cover the costs of police and other services?
No doubt, city sewer is on the minds of some along the routes. Would enough revenue be generated to the city to ever recoup the cost of providing that service?
The mayor constantly mentions grants, but grants come with a price. Right now, the city is looking at barely scraping by for the rest of the fiscal year. So is more debt a good move? The same goes for buying any property.
Yes, the council owes it to the citizens to “do it right” when it comes to annexation, and that includes answering all the tough questions.
And the toughest will likely be getting the county to agree. After all, they’ve already said “no.”
The council is faced with a decision not to be rushed, but thoroughly considered.