By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
Rowan County Commissioner Tina Hall has been appointed to a newly created legislative commission to study annexation laws in the state.
Sen. Marc Basnight, president pro tem of the N.C. Senate, notified Hall of her appointment in a letter.
The 2008 session of the General Assembly authorized creation of a Joint Legislative Study Commission on Municipal Annexation for the Senate. A similar commission for the House has been in operation for more than a year.
The appointment is effective immediately and will expire with the convening of the 2009 General Assembly or the filing of the final report of the commission, whichever comes first.
Hall, a retired school administrator, said she is honored with the appointment and credited the efforts of Rowan County residents.
“Citizens of Rowan County got the attention of Raleigh,” said Hall, referring to numerous bus trips to lobby and speak out against involuntary annexation.
Hall, the lone Democrat on the Board of Commissioners, joined in unanimous opposition to an effort by Salisbury to annex areas west of the city. Commissioners made several trips to Raleigh to talk with legislators.
On one trip to support Sen. Andrew Brock’s bill calling for a moratorium against forced annexation in Rowan County, Hall met with Sen. Tony Rand.
“He told me about the possibility of a joint commission, similar to what the House is doing,” she said.
She said he suggested she apply to serve and she sent a letter to Sen. Basnight several weeks ago.
Hall attended the hearings across the state held earlier this year by the House commission.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Senate committee and getting input from across the state,” Hall said.
At this point, she continues to be against forced annexation and supports a change in the state law that would allow property owners in the area to be annexed to vote.