By Betty Cloer Wallace 
Guest Commentary

Recent hearings by the Franklin Board of Alderman regarding annexation of two Georgia Road properties for alcohol permits clearly illustrates the controversy associated with satellite annexation and the greater problem of disjointed jurisdiction in Macon County.

In the absence of policy, some aldermen support the current cherry-picking method of voluntary annexation while others recommend “blanket annexation” of entire corridors leading into Franklin, possibly reaching — like octopus tentacles — all the way to the county line in every direction.

Question: Why should the tiny town of Franklin make decisions about alcohol permits or water lines or anything else way out in the rural areas — decisions that impact the economy of the entire county?

The greatest problem looming on the horizon is control of water, which affects just about all development, commercial and residential; and not surprisingly, many of us who live along the rural corridors do not want economic decisions made for us by a distant town Board of Aldermen that does not directly represent us — a board for whom we cannot vote.

We disagree with the position of The Franklin Press (12/11/09) on two counts. We don’t think the corridors should serve the town as cash cows to “bring in tax revenues to offset additional costs to the town” or that “the town is in the best position to impose order there (441 corridor).”

Franklin aldermen represent a town population of only 3,800 residents — 493 voted in the last election — yet they make decisions impacting our entire county of 35,000 residents in regard to water, alcohol, taxation, land value, and other considerations that affect patterns of growth, commercial enterprise, and jobs — and the 31,200 other people who live outside the town cannot vote for them because we do not live within their jurisdiction.

The tail is wagging the dog, folks, as the town gains and the county loses — territory, taxes, and control — and we’re all paying for unnecessary multiple layers of disjointed governance resulting from the lack of comprehensive countywide planning. Furthermore, the problem of unfair “taxation without representation” will become even more disjointed if Franklin annexes the main corridors.

Commercial development and population density historically have evolved piecemeal throughout the county, and governmental control of infrastructure and services does not fit the ever-changing patterns. We need a streamlined governance structure that will be flexible enough to change with the times, and we need to create that structure now.

A county planning committee is currently seeking input about “what we want our county to look like 20 years from now.” Perhaps we should look ahead 50 or 100 years and consider taking a bold step now toward consolidating the county and its municipalities into one unified jurisdiction with one board that will serve us far into the future.

A consolidated government would eliminate duplication of services, inefficiency, and numerous jurisdictional concerns about which the municipal and county boards are often at cross-purposes, as well as create a more responsive governmental structure. Everyone would know where the buck stops.

This proposal is far from novel or unique. Growth and redistribution of population and commerce has inspired hundreds of municipalities and counties nationwide to merge their governments, and the benefits have been manifold.

At the very least, Franklin’s Board of Aldermen should postpone any decision regarding blanket annexation of corridors until Macon County completes its comprehensive plan and addresses how all sections of the county can have rightfully elected representation, fair taxation, and equitable access to resources.

Betty Cloer Wallace, a seventh-generation native of Macon County, is a tree farmer in the West Union Community, Georgia Road, Hwy 441 South.