Last month, the town of Man had requested the matter be placed on a ballot for an upcoming election.
This month, the Man Town Council discussed going forward with the long discussed annexation by a petition instead.
Bernard Spaulding, legal council to the town of Man, told council members Monday night that he had asked the West Virginia Municipal League for its advice in the matter.
“Their attorney said the easiest way to do this would be by doing it with a petition (and) not an election,” Spaulding said, explaining that a majority of the property owners in the proposed area could legally petition for annexation.
“I think the Board of Education is the biggest property holder and it would probably sign a petition.”
Spaulding said businessman Rick Grimmett had approached the council stating he wanted his property inside city limits for extra police protection.
“That’s two thirds,” Spaulding said, noting that the West Virginia Department of Highways was another property owner.
“What about the county commission,” Mayor Jim Blevins asked. “They own the property the clinic is located on.”
Blevins said the owner of Keith’s Bar also wanted to be included in city limits, too.
“As many people who want to come in can come in by signing the petition,” Spaulding said, adding that he is not sure that the Department of Highways would or could sign such a petition.
Only petitioners would be included in city limits, Spaulding said.
“I need to find out how many want to come in,” Spaulding said.
Originally, the town had reportedly been approached by employees of Man High School who asked for the school to be taken into city limits more than a year ago.
Following discussion, public meetings and research and much controversy, the town council looked into doing the annexation via a minor boundary adjustment that would include other property in the area if the owners wished to come into town limits.
The initial annexation proposal involved the road along Buffalo Creek and not the property nor homes that line the road. That proposal drew the ire of several Man-area residents who got together several names on a petition and the measure was brought before the Logan County Commission before being changed to the current proposal.
It was then decided that the new annexation proposal would be put on the May election ballot for the people to decide with a vote.
In other Man Town Council news:
The council also talked about another long term project — a proposed parklike area to be located under the new highway bridge.
“The Department of Highways contacted us about the property under the bridge, we need to tell them ow much of it we want. I want to take all that is available to us,” Mayor Blevins said, noting that even though no permanent structure could be permitted to be built under the bridge that the property could still be useful for town fairs, carnivals and a picnic property.
City employee Dwayne Mounts noted that the town had filed a plan with the DOH two years earlier.
“It’s on file and it is on hold until the bridge project is completed,” Mounts said. “We discussed every bit of it and they approved it and put it on file.”
Former Man mayor-now Man Fire Chief Bill Weese said the plan includes the property up to 15 feet on either side of the tracks.
Mayor Blevins said the town would need to have the property surveyed.
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