Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ordinance Passes; Election For Annexation To Be August 31

A special election to determine the fate of a proposed annexation has been scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 31.

The Gurdon City Council, in special session Monday, June 28, passed an ordinance permitting the election. This was the third reading of the ordinance, with the first coming at the regular monthly meeting June 14, and the second being June 21.

About a dozen people were on hand to voice their opinion about the property along Highway 67 South being annexed into the city limits, as well as to hear what the council had to say.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith opened the meeting by telling those present the ordinance had been read twice for the purpose of placing the annexation issue on the ballot.

This issue, he said, will be decided by the people living in the affected area as well as registered voters within the city limits of Gurdon.

Unfortunately, there were harsh words and hard feelings by some in the audience.

The first question dealt with who circulated a petition for annexation. Smith said no petition had been circulated, but a straw poll was taken to determine interest in the issue.

He told the audience there are two methods of annexing property into the city limits by petition or election. The poll, he continued, is not a legal document, but was only to show the council how people felt about the possibility of annexing this area into the city.

Karen Parker, a member of the council, brought forth the annexation possibility and proposed the ordinance earlier in June.

Her reason for seeking an annexation was to get Gurdon High School and Cabe Middle School inside the city limits so the Gurdon Police Department can respond to calls at the schools.

Parker, at the meeting, said she tried to call people along Highway 67, but wasn't able to get in touch with everyone who lives there.

"A lot of people," she said, "have had a change of heart because of the children and football field. There will be traffic problems (during football season) and we're going to start having track meets there."

Part of the problem, she said, is no one wanted to help circulate petitions or make phone calls. This left taking a poll and trying for the annexation through the election method.

The council attempted to annex this area in 1996, but failed by 25 votes. At the time, only GHS was there, with the Go-Devils still playing football at Gus Brown Field.

However, since then, the Gurdon School District has expanded with CMS being constructed by GHS and a new football stadium is being built at this time.

Earl Smithpeters complained about the possibility of being annexed into the city limits, saying he built his home where it is to be outside of the city.

Smith said the city council had nothing to do with where the schools were built, as this decision was made by the Gurdon School Board. The council, he added, has no control over the school board.

Still, he said, two-thirds of Gurdon's school-age children are outside the city limits and out of the scope of the GPD's authority. The GPD has no legal authority outside the city limits unless first approved by the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

Smith said the county has a good sheriff's office, but there are times when deputies can't get to Gurdon in less than 20 or 30 minutes.

One such instance, he pointed out, was a student at CMS taking a weapon to school. The CCSO was called and had the GPD respond because of the time factor.

In addition, he continued, the CCSO has 845 miles to cover within the county.

Sarcasm was heavy when one resident in the area said it didn't matter whether or not the school was in the city limits as what will happen will happen regardless.

"If the school wasn't there," Smith responded, "I could care less about the annexation. We're not looking at this as a way of gaining revenue for the city."

Those brought into the city limits by an annexation would have to pay the city's 5.4 mill tax rate. This would amount to $54 a year on a home valued at $50,000.

Smith said the city receives about $40,000 annually from property tax, so the additional amount from this annexation would be negligible.

The bulk of the money the city operates on comes from state turnback funds. These funds are based on population at a rate of about $62 per person.

Smithpeters complained saying this is supposed to be a free country, but freedom is gone and the people have none anymore.

Smith said many of those living in the proposed area are in the Beirne Fire Department and are not under the protection of the Gurdon Fire Department.

Beirne has a class 10 rating, while the GFD is rated at class 7.

Fire insurance for homeowners is based, in part, on the rating of the first responding fire department. The higher the rating, the more expensive the policy.

Homeowners in the annexation area could see their fire insurance drop as much as $300 per year.

As it is, Smith said, for those homes on the east side of Highway 67 the BFD will be the first department called in case of a fire. Should the GFD be called, it will respond, but the property owner will be billed $500 per truck and $25 per man responding.

The minimum bill, he said, is $750, with many insurance companies only paying about $250.

Smithpeters said he had no intention of being in the city limits when he bought his property, and this is why he purchased this particular tract of land.

Smith said cities grow and there aren't many places to build inside the city limits. "It's not uncommon for people building outside the city limits. But this is growth. Homes along Highway 67 are set up like city lots.

"We have a good, safe town. We have a low crime rate, but we do have crime. The potential for crime is here like it was in Littleton, CO. and Jonesboro.

"We can't prevent crime, but we can deter it."

Having a police officer walk the halls of GHS and CMS, meeting and talking to the students, with regular patrols in the area can only be beneficial, he said.

Tuck Hisaw repeatedly blamed Smith for getting the annexation issue underway again, even though Parker continually said she initiated it. His response was to basically say Smith brainwashed her into doing it and taking the blame.

"It was my idea," she said. "It was not my intent to upset or offend anyone, but I can't turn my back on my children." Parker has two children attending CMS.

Serious incidents have occurred at the schools this year, she said.

"I've said enough," Smithpeters said. "You know how we feel and you're cramming this down our throat."

Smith then asked for more comments, getting no response. The ordinance was read for the third and final time and passed.