Greensboro's Melderec con Simkins Leadership Repudiated on Annexation

The previous Melderec con Simkins leadership in the city of Greensboro, of which Robbie Perkins is an exemplar, has historically been noted for its smugness.  It strained to create the impression that its approaches were inherently wise and enlightened.

One example was its approach to annexation.  Typically, Greensboro has run water and sewer lines to areas being developed outside of the city limits.  Houses would be sold and resold.  At some point in the future, the city would move to initiate annexation; and residents often felt betrayed because they were not necessarily advised they would be at risk.

Greensboro did not hesitate to annex against the will of the citizens being annexed. 

It turns out that an important case has moved through the state courts.  Recently, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the city of Greensboro's approach to annexation had been inappropriate.  How about that!

Whereas folks like Robbie and Yvonne Johnson and Zack Matheny and others would nod and assure us that they knew best, fortunately we have the courts to set them straight.  And fortunately, the state legislature is embarking on annexation reform to prevent cities like Greensboro from committing abuses in the future.

Comments

[triadwatch]

i have said for years that they need to tell all the trebic cartel and other developers that if you want greensboro water and sewer then first step is for you to go through the process of being annexed into Greensboro.

What happened at millstream should have never happened. I am sure there is more to the story on the developer and the relationship with the powerbrokers in greensboro politics but it was great to see the citizens fight back.

[Joe Guarino]

I agree, Keith. The usual cabal that previously ruled in Greensboro kept on insisting that their approach was the best way, and did not see anything wrong with it. They have now received the response they deserved.

I learned about this Court of Appeals decision in the Carolina Journal, and did not see it reported locally. Did I miss it? It seems to me this is a pretty important story.

[Val Wiggin]

The sad thing is that there are many areas with the City Limits of Greensboro that need, but do not have water and sewer. If you are annexed, you have a window of opportunity of about 10 days to request water and sewer. If you don't request it, you don't get it. The only way to get it then is to pay for it yourself or submit a valid petition requesting it. Just because the petition is accpeted and approved doesn't mean it will ever be funded. Developers get millions to help them in their water and sewer expenses and the private citizens are left to fend for themselves.

[Joe Guarino]

You are right, Val. This was a policy to help developers in areas outside of the city limits. Homebuyers would have the benefit of not paying city taxes for a period of time, thereby increasing the "sellability" of homes built; and some homebuyers doubtless were completely in the dark with respect to the whole situation.

[Roch101]

Is she right? I would like to know where in Greensboro citizens don't have city water and sewer.

[Val Wiggin]

There's a whole City process for this Roch, see http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/Engineering/resident/PetitionProcess.htm. Engineering maintains the "good luck with that" list of requests.

[Roch101]

Thanks, Val, I'm aware of the process. My question was about your claim, whith which Joe agrees, that there are places in Greensboro where people don't have city water or sewer. Are there? Where?

[Joe Guarino]

The area with which I agreed with Val was the latter part of the comments:

"Developers get millions to help them in their water and sewer expenses and the private citizens are left to fend for themselves."

It is pretty clear that is the net effect of the approach that the city of Greensboro had taken in the past. That is the approach that the Melderec con Simkins crowd supported.

I don't know for sure about the other part of the statement, but perhaps Val can tell us more.

[Roch101]

I see, Joe. Thanks. Hard to disagree with that part.