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Providence, Millville officials meet to talk annexation By
Myrica Hawker MILLVILLE -- Since their proposed boundaries overlap in some areas, Millville and Providence city officials met to peacefully discuss each city's annexation policy in a special Millville City Council meeting Thursday evening. Millville Councilman Michael Johnson said an annexation policy plan is what the council feels Millville's "natural progression" will be and the extent to which Millville's boundaries can extend. The Millville council decided to adopt the plan in an upcoming meeting after its completion through the addition of a finalized map and responses to comments made in the public hearing, specifically the response to a letter from Providence Mayor Alma Leonhardt. The only change Millville made to its plan after discussion with Providence is the exclusion of a small area of property already being developed by Providence. Both city's representatives agreed that what land is eventually annexed into each city will mostly be determined by development. Residents who move onto the county land declared in both city's annexation policy plans will most likely be able to choose which city they want to annex into, a situation both cities are satisfied with. "I don't think we're going to fight you about anything," Millville Mayor Gale Hall said. "I feel like we have always had a good relationship," Hall said about the two cities, to which Providence Councilman Vic Saunders agreed. The decision of which city to annex into could be affected by whether a landowner wants the sewer services Providence can provide or if he or she doesn't want to pay for sewer costs and prefers the septic tank option Millville offers. The meeting began with both cities' council members looking at maps on the council table, so both sides could understand the other's current and proposed boundaries, as well as Providence's sewer placement. Providence has taken its boundaries south to Millville's current boundaries in its plan, just as Millville has taken its proposed boundaries north to Providence. To represent Providence, three of its city council members -- Saunders, Deon Johnson and Wendy Simmons -- attended the meeting and presented Providence's interests in annexation. Saunders said they are concerned about being able to annex what has been historically considered Providence. Its city officials also have some concern about introducing septic tanks onto land near their water supplies. Millville officials weren't concerned about which city the residents in the overlapping area annexed into, but foresaw problems with overlapping land near the highway that both cities would want for commercial development. Both cities want commercial development for the tax revenue it provides. Saunders also brought up Providence's interest in and ability to provide services to those annexed into the city. "I feel like we're being told, we can provide and you can't, so just suck it up,'" Councilman Keith DeHart said towards the end of the discussion between the cities' officials. Councilman Larry Lewis said commercial buildings only have one or two bathrooms so the ability to provide sewer services doesn't mean Providence can serve businesses better than Millville can. Millville's annexation policy plan will be approved in an upcoming city council meeting since the council members want to only approve it in its completed form.
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