Spring Break
College Station annexes majority of property
By: Amanda Tilley
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: News
The College Station City Council annexed five of the six proposed properties, excluding the area that contains the Texas World Speedway, Thursday night.
Though the areas near the Wellborn community were annexed, the community itself was not annexed; instead the council decided to investigate its incorporation at a later date.
Twenty-two citizens spoke out against the annexation. Citizens said they did not want to be annexed for several reasons. These reasons included having to pay property taxes, wanting to maintain their rural way of life and the fact that they already have adequate fire and police protection.
Brenda Ross, a resident from annexed area 5, said that she has lived in the country all of her life and wanted to keep it that way. Ross said she was concerned about paying property taxes.
"We have this one acre we live on now," Ross said, "My husband and I live on a fixed income, if you raise taxes anymore, we can't afford it."
Gwen Hattaway, a newly annexed resident, said that she disagrees with the way the city council has approached the people in the annexed areas and is unhappy with their inability to answer questions.
"I've never seen a process so professionally bungled," Hattaway said. "Our questions aren't being answered. How can you tell a family you're annexing them, but you can't tell them how much it will cost, or how it will affect their way of life?"
Council member Ron Gay said that the council knew it would not be able to make everyone happy, but would do what it thought was best for the community.
Council member James Massey said that the decision was not one that should be based on emotions, and thanked the community members who approached the council members with open minds. "This isn't about personalities. This isn't about approaching the council in an ill manner and trying to get us to do the right thing," Massey said.
Though the areas near the Wellborn community were annexed, the community itself was not annexed; instead the council decided to investigate its incorporation at a later date.
Twenty-two citizens spoke out against the annexation. Citizens said they did not want to be annexed for several reasons. These reasons included having to pay property taxes, wanting to maintain their rural way of life and the fact that they already have adequate fire and police protection.
Brenda Ross, a resident from annexed area 5, said that she has lived in the country all of her life and wanted to keep it that way. Ross said she was concerned about paying property taxes.
"We have this one acre we live on now," Ross said, "My husband and I live on a fixed income, if you raise taxes anymore, we can't afford it."
Gwen Hattaway, a newly annexed resident, said that she disagrees with the way the city council has approached the people in the annexed areas and is unhappy with their inability to answer questions.
"I've never seen a process so professionally bungled," Hattaway said. "Our questions aren't being answered. How can you tell a family you're annexing them, but you can't tell them how much it will cost, or how it will affect their way of life?"
Council member Ron Gay said that the council knew it would not be able to make everyone happy, but would do what it thought was best for the community.
Council member James Massey said that the decision was not one that should be based on emotions, and thanked the community members who approached the council members with open minds. "This isn't about personalities. This isn't about approaching the council in an ill manner and trying to get us to do the right thing," Massey said.
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