STAR CITY, W.Va. — A community that is targeted in the City of Morgantown’s annexation proposal is petitioning to get annexed into Star City.
During a regular meeting of Star City’s council Tuesday, members of the community known as ‘No Man’s Land’ submitted a petition requesting to be annexed into Star City.
Council members unanimously agreed to work with the residents to bring them into Star City, taking an apparent open arms approach.
“I think since Morgantown’s pushing this annexation, I think that’s why ‘No Man’s Land, which we call it, has come together and they want to come into Star City,” said Star City Mayor Herman Reid. “And our arms are open, we want them,” he said.
The community, which includes several well known entities that currently border Star City and would be is part of Morgantown’s minor boundary adjustment proposal. Along about 15-20 homes on Cain Street, Bitoni Street and North Parkview Drive respectively, St. Mary’s Church and the Circle K on University Avenue are targeted by Morgantown. For residents in the area, the increases in taxes and fees to become part of Morgantown is simply too much.
“Really everything will go up,” said ‘No Man’s Land’ and Monongalia County resident Judy Johnson. “Our garbage will be separate, and right now I pay very little for garbage as far as I’m concerned, it’s like $40 a month for garbage, water and sewage, that, I’m not a single person so I got to save somewhere and to pay more taxes and all that I’m just not going to be able to do it,” she said.
According to Johnson, since her road was paved by the state, she would also be responsible for making the roads up to city standards, which in whole could cost her up to $30,000 to achieve. As a result of issues such as hers, there have been several community initiatives to make sure that annexation into Star City borders becomes a reality. According to state code, communities can request to be annexed into any neighboring municipal’s limits with seventy-five percent petition which would later have to be approved by County Commission.
This issue apparently is one they don’t have to worry about as most residents were very vocal about what they wanted to see happen.
“We signed the papers that we needed to sign and we sent them in to their people down there that is making this happen and hopefully it gets there,” said Johnson.
On Star City government’s end, the effort to help the request by ‘No Man’s Land’ residents has been very open. After discussions with residents which included the bringing up of the resolution that was eventually passed, Star City officials have also been in discussions with members of Monongalia County Commission so that the process is as seamless as possible for all parties involved.
“We’re going to get this resolution together, send it to them, I’m sure the County Commission will look at this, basically in a common sense type manor,” said Reid.