(January 8, 2019) Mayor Terry Morton brought the idea to the Centreville City Council on Tuesday night that an annex of county property in several areas should be looked into for future development possibilities. “We need to have new businesses expanding along the 82 bypass,” he said as he also reminded the council that this idea was in fact part of his campaign platform when running for mayor over two years ago.
The proposal centered on the idea that as businesses pop up along “new” Highway 82, Centreville would be able to collect revenue and maintain regulatory control, instead of new companies falling under county jurisdiction.
While not the only area being considered for annex, the first on the list was property adjacent to the Highway 82 four-lane from approximately the Highway 219 intersection, east to County Road 20 (Antioch Road). Also to be considered is the area north of Highway 82 and along Highway 219 and Highway 5, up to the Shultz Creek bridge. Some of these areas are already inside the city limits. A comment was heard after the meeting that suggested these could be one annex “chunk,” drawing an as-the-crow-flies line from Shultz Creek Bridge on Highway 219 all the way to Sandy Chapel on Highway 82. We will have to wait and see what the proposed annex actually covers.
“It can be a lengthy process,” Mayor Morton said of annexing property into the city limits, stating that once all aspects are covered legally – as well as having property owners on board with the idea – it could still be over a year before the process is complete. With the council’s approval, the Mayor will discuss with the city attorney the steps needed to complete the annex, thus getting the process underway.
DHR Expanding Services and Scope of Occupancy
The state Department of Human Resources informed the Mayor’s office recently that they intend to expand the services they offer in our area, and in doing so will also require an expanded physical footprint. DHR would like to add a building adjacent or near to their current location, which is leased from the city. Any costs associated with the expansion would be state responsibility. It is unknown as of yet what the expanded services would include.
Taking Applications for Chief of Police
The City of Centreville is currently taking applications and resumes for the position of Police Chief. Applicants have through January 25, 2019, to submit, and interviews will begin in February. Chief Northcutt plans to retire the first of March.
Speed-bumps? Sure, We’ll Have Some Speed-bumps.
“I sat and watched at least three or four people in a row run that three way stop,”
Carrying over from the December 4, 2018, council meeting, the issue of whether or not to install requested new speed-bumps came back to the table with a resounding maybe.
“There were only a few people who didn’t come to the door, but everyone I actually talked to were in favor of it and signed,” Council member Matthew Thomas said. He brought a signed petition from his district, with residents along Timberlane Drive having unanimously supported the idea. “I sat and watched at least three or four people in a row run that three way stop,” he added, stating that something besides the stop signs are needed to slow the cut-through traffic along the road.
Having received resident comments from only one person on Walnut Street, “nothing at all” from residents of Market Street, and no one besides the resident who spoke at the last meeting from Riverside Drive has made their opinion known, the city council determined that Department of Transportation rules do not allow those areas new speed-bumps. With Timberlane Drive residents having completed a petition, however, a motion was passed to proceed with the project there, since DOT regulations were met. If residents of the remaining three areas want their speed-bumps, they’re going to have to sign for it.
