The Bruce Board of Aldermen is studying two proposals from Tuesday night – one to possibly expand the city limits through annexation and another to establish a “no-kill” animal shelter in Bruce.
Mike Slaughter with Slaughter and Associates in Oxford made the annexation proposal to the board saying expanding the city limits would get the town population back over the 2,000 barrier.
Slaughter explained if the town was interested, they could hire his company to begin a feasibility study. The study would be for informational purposes only.
Mike Slaughter asks the board to consider an annexation feasibility study at Tuesday’s meeting. In the background are board members Ellen Shaw and Steve Nelson. Photo by Joel McNeece
Then the board would decide if they wanted to proceed with the annexation process.
Slaughter explained, in a slideshow presentation, that annexation would open new area for growth for the town, allow areas brought into the city to receive city services such as police protection and a lower fire rating.
Slaughter also noted that it’s often a fairness issue with people just across the city limits currently not paying taxes for city services while getting much of the benefits.
He also noted the financial impact of sales tax from businesses outside the city limits being totally lost to the state. If brought inside the city limits, a portion of those sales tax dollars are returned locally.
“We will definitely take this under consideration,” Mayor Rudy Pope said.
No formal action was taken by the board.
Rose Wells asked the board to consider a “no-kill” animal shelter for the town. Caught strays are currently held for five days and then sent to Oxford for 30 days, where if not adopted they are euthanized.
Wells said the Oxford shelter has such restrictions on adoptions that too many of the animals are euthanized.
Wells said the “no-kill” shelter would be funded through donations, which she is confident there would be support for.
Wells asked the board to consider donating a small area for the shelter, to provide water and asked that all strays caught be turned over to the shelter rather than the “Oxford pound.”
“For little cost we can make a big difference,” Wells said.
Alderman Danny Rodgers asked what if they accumulate 100 dogs over five years. Wells said she was confident they could find homes for the animals.
“We have a real dog problem,” Mayor Pope said. “We have to figure out what to do.”
The board took the proposal under advisement.
In other action, the board authorized Street Dept. Director Joe Farmer to seek bids on a tractor for bush hogging; agreed to look at recertification for existing fire trucks while still shopping for new one; hired Robert Mata as an employee for the water department.