Votes anticipated on annexation
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

Four raised hands Tuesday night could put an end to months of debate on whether the city of El Campo should accept annexation plans or put an end to the proceedings.

Majority will rule.

And, on the seven member El Campo City Council, that's four votes - as few as three if a couple of representatives are absent.

Council will again debate five proposed areas for involuntary annexation and their boundaries during the regular 7 p.m. session in chambers, 315 E. Jackson. The meeting is open to the public.

For residents of the Sandy Corner's area and Sunset Terrace, it is a wait and see. Many expressed their opposition during two public hearings earlier this month.

"You're not offering anything I don't already have," Sandy Corner area resident Bill Goerig told Council during the first public hearing - a sentiment echoed many times over by several home and business owners.

Of the homes in the two areas, only one resident - Willie Bender from the Sunset Terrace area - has applauded the possibility of annexation. For him, he told Council, it means the end of well worries, garbage pickup and mosquito spraying.

The revision of annexation plans created during Monday's called City Council meeting eliminates many of the businesses on the east side of Hwy. 71 north in exchange for an asof yet unapproved industrial agreement.

If approved by the El Campo City Council in the upcoming session, the D-A-M Road proposal would allow businesses along that roadway to pay a portion of taxes to stay outside the city limits. They would not receive water or sewer services - nor would they be subject to city ordinances.

Running city water and sewer lines down D-A-M Road would add between $500,000 and $1 million to the annexation package cost.

On the east side of Hwy. 71, annexation would, under the proposal Monday, be limited to right of way - about 300 feet taking into consideration buildings.

The current cost estimate for annexation is $5,047,523.50 which would cost every El Campo utility customer, currently in the 4,400 range, between $5.66 and $7.10 per month for the next 20 years.

For the potential incoming resident or business, the bill could potentially run several thousand dollars when new lines are run and septic tanks abated.

Also on the Tuesday agenda, Council will consider the Municipal Service Plan for all annexation sites and possible changes to it.

"I'm going to recommend that residents with water and septic currently have the following options," City Manager John Steelman said. "They may continue to use their water and approved septic systems until repairs are needed. At such time as it fails, they can connect to city water. City water may be used without connection to the city sewer, however, there will be no sewer without water service."

Under the new proposal, residents could connect to city water and still use their wells for lawn water or other non-domestic purposes until they develop problems.

Steelman is also recommending a $1,000 rebate to assist residents in abating their water wells and an additional $1,000 to abate their sewer system when they tap into city lines.