The City of Auburn mailed 25 letters to property owners this month informing them of the city's plans to annex their properties into the city limits.

"For purposes of clarification, the City of Auburn proposes to annex the aforementioned property because it is currently considered an unincorporated island within the City limits," the letter reads. "Annexation provides a method to assure the orderly distribution of urban services to densely populated or developed areas located on the fringe or within the city limits of a municipality."

The letter notes advantages to property owners in the annexation including access to Auburn's police department, water and trash services.

"In addition to these advantages, annexation will afford you an opportunity to be a full participant in the operation of the City and its government," says the letter signed by City Attorney Jack Wilson.

"In the state of Georgia right now, islands are actually illegal. It's better to incorporate them," said Auburn City Planner James Abraham.

When discussion of annexation to "close up" the unincorporated islands within corporate limits came up earlier this year, some citizens voiced their opposition and the issue talk subsided.

"The majority of folks, for some reason, do not want to be annexed into the City of Auburn," said Abraham. "I've had a few people come in and quarrel about it."

One citizens unhappy with the city's direction to annex his property is Leroy Evans.

"I've been on the phone for the last three days with lawyers, [State Rep.] Terry England and Barrow County council members," said Evans, whose Lyle Road property is one of the 25 parcels to be annexed.

"There's nothing they can offer me except higher taxes," said Evans. "I'm really upset with the county. They still want their tax dollars, and Auburn wants its tax dollars, too."

The 25 parcels to be annexed are located on Parks Mill Road, County Line Road, Autry Road, Lyle Road, Sixth Street, Carl-Midway Church Road, Fourth Avenue, Kilcrease Road and Browns Bridge Road and include residences as well as R & R Manufacturing, Masonic Lodge #230 and Midway Methodist Church.

"I think it's a good thing for the city to annex the islands because it creates less confusion in the sense of services" said Abraham. "I would be against annexing something outside the city other than the islands except on a case by case basis. For the islands itself, I think it's only beneficial both for the city and the citizens."

Abraham has received one response from Barrow County regarding the annexations. "I received one official letter from the county that says it has no objection to one particular parcel. They will probably be responding to every individual parcel."

"This should have been done years ago," said Auburn Mayor Harold Money. "I know people get upset when they annex their property and I can understand that but when you provide the services you provide for them and they don't pay the taxes, I don't understand their complaints.

"Our police respond to them faster than the Sheriff's Department can respond," he said. Money noted that Auburn police can respond to most residences proposed to be annexed in less than a minute in some cases and said they do provide services to those homes. "I think that's a duplication of services myself.

"As an elected official I have to do what's good for the area and this is something the state of Georgia says it wants done," he added.

Money also said he had no plans of placing any additional annexations on the council's agenda during his year remaining in office.

The Auburn City Council will vote on the proposed annexation on Thursday, Nov. 16. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and public comment is invited.

Originally published Sunday, October 29, 2006