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Photo by Bill Eccles
The property of Bowersville mayor Pruitt Manley and town councilwoman Melissa Holloway were among ten de-annexed by the Bowersville Town Council during a special called meeting September 14.
Once the dust settled, over 130 acres of land in the city limits of Bowersville were de-annexed back to Hart County. The wave of de-annexed property comes on the heels of several passed ordinances by the Bowersville council that place restrictions on the construction and maintenance of poultry facilities within the city limits.
The Sept. 14 meeting marked the second reading for de-annexation of each of the ten properties. The first reading occurred July 20 following the Hart County Board of Commissioners (BOC) approval of each application for de-annexation.
Those residents who did not request to be de-annexed argued that the town will struggle to survive now that one of the highest tax brackets will no longer contribute to the town of Bowersville.
During the July 20 first reading, tensions were high and Hart County deputies were dispatched in reference to a potential fight. On Sept. 14, cooler heads prevailed and while two deputies were in attendance for the packed meeting inside the Bowersville Community Center, no incidents were reported
Bowersville attorney John Dickerson presided over the petitions as Mayor Manley and councilwoman Holloway were forced to abstain and were disqualified from any discussion on the matter. Manley was on hand and remained silent during the discussion, while Holloway was not in attendance. Dickerson read the statute in place regarding de-annexation.
“The governing authority shall grant the de-annexation unless there is a danger to public welfare,” Dickerson said.
The council members found no danger to the public welfare and voted unanimously to approve de-annexation for each of the ten parcels of property.
Following the vote, the council moved on to new business which included replacing the roof on the town building which included the shop, town hall and post office. The town will use $18,230 to replace the roof using funds from the federal government’s American Recovery Act.
Additionally, the council approved a petition from Calvary Church to close Church Road from Christy Street to Adamstown Road as the church is in the process of building a youth crisis intervention center.
“I think anything we can do to help the youth in this community is a good thing and I would ask you to make a motion that we abandon [this section] of Church Road,” Manley said.
Furthermore, the council announced an intergovernmental agreement between Bowersville and the Hart County BOC that allows the county to maintain the East Main Street from Highway 51 south of the town.
“We don’t have funds available to do that, so I think it’s a good idea that we enter into this agreement,” Manley said.