Forced Annexation in Black Creek

The following is from The Wilson Daily Times (May 24, 2006):

Link to article

BLACK CREEK — At least 50 residents of the Carr Road area packed Town Hall in protest of a proposed annexation of their neighborhood.

Most residents said the annexation would create a financial hardship, several said they would move, others said they were losing their property rights and several challenged the method and selection of homes slated for possible annexation into the town.

"I think everyone here does not want to be in the annexation," said Linda McKeel. "This is an in-your-face, the biggest discrimination I've seen."

McKeel pointed to a nearby map and said some of the Carr area properties were less than an acre of land while other, larger properties adjoining the town were much larger but not within the annexation plan.

Most of the Carr Road area homes are singlewide or doublewide modular units.
"What is that but discrimination against the people who can't buy more?" she asked. "You're singling us out. You're going around your municipality. The businesses, the big land owners, they can probably afford it."

McKeel said the Carr Road area is being singled out and questioned the town's slogan, "A small town with a big heart."

"You don't have a big heart; you have a greedy one. I don't know how you can do it. It's not fair to these people."

About half of the protesters wore T-shirts with a recent Wilson Daily Times cartoon about the annexation on the front and, on the back, said "Black Creek: the town with no heart."

McKeel wasn't the only resident who questioned why certain homes were omitted from the annexation plan and why homes near the town limits, including several along Central Street were not in the plan.

Ken Matthews asked the board why the Gooseneck cul-de-sac connected to Carr Road was omitted. Several people in the audience said the land was owned by Mack Smith, the former planning board chairman, newly appointed town commissioner and son of the late mayor, Ralph Smith.

Chris Lukasina with the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, an annexation adviser to the board, said it was because the property was too large.

Matthews walked away and shook his head.

Rufus Webb presented the Town Board a petition of 131 signatures from residents in the proposed annexation area and others outside the area who are concerned they could be next.

"I was blindsided when I learned of the proposed forced annexation," Webb said, after handing the petition to commissioners.

"I have lived here for 10 years, and I've never heard a word about this until I received a letter from the town of Black Creek a month before the meeting of May 2.

"This proposed annexation says I have no vote or say-so. Annexation is wrong, but it happens to be legal. If you gentlemen vote this forced annexation in, you are voting against everything this nation stands for."

The Town Board plans — with Commissioner Roland Godwin absent — to vote on whether to annex 95 parcels of land along Carr, Akron, Frank Price Church and Yank roads during its June 13 board meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall.

Godwin was not at Tuesday's public hearing and was not at a May 2 informational meeting where the annexation proposal was presented to residents.

Godwin said this morning that he had other commitments but did not say what those were. He said he will be in Kentucky June 13.

"I don't think that was anyone's concerns why I wasn't there," Godwin said. "I have a lot of church functions. ... Since it was informational meetings and public hearings, I didn't think I needed to be there.

"I'm not trying to avoid it because that's the only way we can grow is to annex."

Twenty-one people spoke in opposition during Tuesday's meeting.