By Hugh Fisher
hfisher@salisburypost.com
RALEIGH ó Current and former Rowan County commissioners spoke out against involuntary annexation at Tuesday’s meeting of the joint legislative body studying the state’s annexation laws.
One, Commissioner Tina Hall, sits on the study commission, along with N.C. Rep. Fred Steen of Landis. Hall argued that citizens subject to potential municipal annexation should be allowed to decide whether they want to be taken in or not.
“What about the fundamental right of the citizen to vote before being annexed?” Hall asked. “Until this right is restored, I feel there will be no rest. It is time for meaningful change to this law.”
Current state law which dates to 1959, allows cities and towns to take in property owners involuntarily, sometimes sparking fights such as the one that residents along N.C. 150 won when the city of Salisbury tried to annex them last year.
Commissioners Jon Barber, Carl Ford and Raymond Coltrain sat in the audience among citizens and lawmakers, though none of the men addressed the board directly.
Former county commissioners Jim Sides and Arnold Chamberlain also attended. During his turn at the podium, Sides made an impassioned plea for change ó and begged legislators to let a vote for changes to the law go through to the House and Senate floors.
“I submit to you today that what is broken is the system in our government by which the laws are changed,” Sides said. “Too much power is placed in the hands of those who determine when and if legislation moves through the system. … Each time, legislative change has been buried in committee.
“I ask only one thing from the powers that be today: Let the system work,” Sides said.
Though they didn’t speak to the joint commission, current Rowan commissioners echoed Sides’ remarks after the meeting.
“I’m hoping that the recommendations from this commission are sent to the House and Senate,” Jon Barber said. “Give the voters the right to vote.”
“I just hope we move past the talking and get on to the voting,” Carl Ford said. “Let’s do away with this law and let the people have a voice.”