Published: October 10, 2008 07:49 am            

Annexation could prove to be a long process

Local News

Annexing any new land could be a long process, officials of Ferguson have found.

Ferguson Mayor Allen Dobbs told councilors that, in talking with AGT surveying company, he was told they would not be able to establish Ferguson’s boundaries unless every deed is pulled. The process of doing this would take six months to a year to establish those boundaries, and it would and cost more than $20,000, Dobbs told the council.

Because of the cost exceeding $20,000, Dobbs asked the council to decide if they would want to run an advertisement for bids for surveyors.

“We can’t move forward with our comprehensive plan (without this),” said Dobbs. “We have to get our boundaries set first.”

Dobbs explained that in 1980 Kentucky pressed every city for a description of their boundaries and said that if they didn’t receive some type of description they could not qualify for any state money.

“That’s what we’ve always believed Ferguson’s boundaries to be,” said Dobbs.

However, Dobbs explained the 1981 map is very different than the ordinances of the city would set the boundaries to be.

“Now, as the governing body, do we want to accept what the state has on file?” asked Dobbs.

Dobbs said it is hard to say how much in taxes they’ve lost over the years because of not knowing the specific boundaries of Ferguson. And he said though having the a surveyor figure out the boundaries may cost the city some money, it is hard to put an amount of money on revenue that could be generated in the future through taxes or state funding.

“If we don’t do something soon, we’re just going to allow more areas to disappear that we believe are in Ferguson,” said Dobbs.

Councilor Joni King wondered what had changed from last month, when Dobbs had previously thought it would cost the city $20,000 or less to have the city surveyed.

Dobbs explained when he and members of the planning and zoning committee met with the surveyor, he said the only way to figure it out would be to pull all the deeds.

Dobbs said that if they were to advertise for bids, the council could just see what the prices came back as and then decide if they wanted to spend that money.

“As a citizen, I want Ferguson to be as big as it can be,” said Ferguson Police Chief David Moss, who said he was only speaking as a landowner in Ferguson and not as police chief.

Moss added that if the city had to borrow money to get the land surveyed and it took 10 years to pay it back, that would also be 10 years of more money, he believed, and they should do whatever they have to do, even if it means getting a bond, to do that.

“Somerset and Burnside are going to take everything (they can),” said Councilor Tony Deprato. “That’s their goal.

“We can’t do any annexation if we don’t do this. It scares me to death if we don’t get this. ... In 10 years there won’t be the City of Ferguson.”

Deprato made a motion to run an advertisement.

“We need to get this done,” said Deprato.

Councilor Linda Hughes seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous to run an ad.

The deadline for bids will be Friday, Oct. 31.

        

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