Turner: We knew at least one person would oppose it
MASONTOWN — Masontown Council unanimously voted Wednesday not to pursue annexing Fairfax Avenue via minor boundary adjustments.
Blaine Richards, who lives on Fairfax Avenue, said he and 12 other residents opposed the annexation.
Mayor Roxie Turner said the town wanted to annex the property in order to adjust and square out town boundaries.
The annexation would have included the area next to the cemetery and Fairfax Avenue to Pulse Lane.
“We contacted the (Preston) County Commission and asked directions on how to go about annexing property,” Turner said. “Then we called our attorney, David Glover, and told him what we wanted to do. He sent us the paperwork we needed to start.”
She said there were seven steps council had to take in order to do the annexation.
“We got to step three and had to stop,” Turner said. “When the State Senate passed the annexation bill (SB 209) only one person would have to oppose the annexation and we couldn’t do it. We knew at least one person would oppose it.”
Council voted unanimously to permanently table the motion to annex.
Richards said he was concerned because the residents weren’t told about the possible annexation. He said he found out about it when he saw the meeting agenda on the post office door.
“I went door-to-door and told my neighbors,” Richards said. “I’am happy with the outcome.”
Had the property been annexed, Turner said it would have given residents a 25% decrease on their water bill, police protection and snow removal. She said she believed home owner insurance would have also decreased.
