Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Voters Say 'No' To Annexation In November Election

Annexation divided the citizenry of Gurdon and was a heated topic for several months.

This made the annexation issue one of the top stories in the area for 1996.

The prospect of annexing a section into the city west of town was originally brought up during a Gurdon City Council meeting in July.

Angry residents filled city hall for the August council meeting, with Jackie Rhodes acting as spokesman for them.

The primary gripe those residents had was they had not been contacted by anyone from the city before the earlier meeting when the issue was discussed.

Rhodes said if these people had wanted to live within the corporate confines of Gurdon they would have moved there in the first place.

These citizens said they had received no notice about the city wanting to annex them into the corporate limits. The proposed area included from the current limits to the new Gurdon High School on Highway 67, and a segment of Airport Road to Lowe Field.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith pointed out the annexation discussion had been well covered by the print and broadcast media. However, several present said they couldn't believe anything they read in the local paper and didn't bother listening to the local radio station.

City attorney Eric Hughes told the citizens of their rights, saying they could challenge the election results if it passed in the General Election Nov. 5.

The opposition presented a petition with 109 signatures to the council and asked the issue to be dropped.

Rhodes and others on hand said the annexation was being shoved down their throats as they had not been individually contacted by members of the council or the mayor.

The issue of money was also brought up.

Smith said Gurdon would benefit financially, but mainly in state turnback funds and not because those in the proposed annexation area would be paying an extra 5.4 mill city tax.

Another issue brought up concerned fire protection. Smith said when the county's 911 emergency telephone system goes into effect properties along the east side of Highway 67 will be under the protection of the Beirne Volunteer Fire Department, while those on the west side would be under Gurdon's department.

He said because of the difference in fire protection ratings, those on the east side of the highway would be paying higher insurance premiums. The Beirne VFD has a 10 rating, while the GFD is rated 7.

Rhodes argued this point, saying he had spoken with his insurance carrier and was told the 911 system would not affect his premiums as long as a person lived within five miles of a class 8 or lower department.

Following a marathon meeting, the council voted to put the measure up for its second reading, with it passing.

A week later, on Aug. 21, the council met again, this time in special session.

Again, the council heard the voices of opposition, but still passed it 4-1, thereby placing it on its third reading.

Both sides continued with their rhetoric and no opinions were swayed either way.

Allowing everyone in Gurdon to vote on the issue, Rhodes argued, instead of just those who would be affected, wouldn't be fair. He said if 10 percent of the registered voters in the city voted for it, the voices of those in the proposed annexation area would be overruled.

Rhodes again pointed out the school belonged to the district and not the city and was not an issue in the annexation debate. He said those residents along Highway 67 agreed to have city water and sewer services installed in order to help the school, not because they wanted it.

Because of the annexation issue and the new GHS, when the Gurdon School Board met in August, Superintendent Bobby Smithson and board president Charles Ledbetter were questioned as to their stands on the matter.

Smithson favored the annexation because it would mean faster response times from law enforcement authorities.

Ledbetter declined comment, but had signed the petition opposing the annexation.

The matter was approved by the council to be placed on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot.

Those opposing the issue campaigned heavily against it, while the city and council waited for election time to roll around.

Voter turnout was heavy as almost 800 went to the polls to cast their ballot on the issue.

When the smoke cleared and the ballots had been counted, the annexation measure had been narrowly defeated.

Interestingly, there were no representatives from either side at the Clark County Courthouse as the votes were being counted.

Because the issue of police protection had been tossed around during the annexation debate, City Marshal David Childres asked the council for direction as to responding to calls at GHS.

The council told Childres to continue as he had been with the GPD. The city police can respond to calls at GHS and try to keep situations under control. But because the school is outside their jurisdiction, officers can take no action, but must wait until deputies with the Clark County Sheriff's Office arrive.

Additionally, any officers working security cannot wear official police uniforms and are not allowed to use city vehicles to go to the school.