Joan Powell would like to continue to be mayor of Wellington. She would also like the property where her new house sits to be part of Wellington. At the current time, the property is outside the city limits, but adjacent to the city boundary.
If Mayor Powell moves into her new house, she will no longer be a resident of Wellington City and cannot hold public office.
Mayor Powell is asking for the property to be annexed into the city, which would allow her to continue to be mayor after she moves into the new house. At the current time she lives in Wellington City. The issue will only be relevant when she moves into her new house, which she hopes to do in the near future.
After a public hearing last Wednesday, no decision was made and the issue was sent back to the Carbon County Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) for further review. Several months ago, P&Z voted in favor of the annexation. The City Council then voted to deny the annexation.
The original idea was to annex several parcels of property, but other homeowners in the area rejected the plan.
Mayor Powell then petitioned the council to allow just her property to be annexed, which resulted in three council members voting against the annexation and two in favor. Councilwoman Paula Noyes explained her opposition is based on city policy, which does not allow a single parcel of property to be annexed into the city.
Councilman Kirt Tatton said a concern is the water line that serves the area immediately outside Wellington city limits. The line is owned by Price River Water Improvement District. The question, he said, is will Wellington City be required to purchase the water line at some future date, since it would be within Wellington City limits if the annexation takes place. Tatton said some decisions need to be made based on future considerations.
Before making time for residents to speak, Mayor Powell read a statement, outlining her position. She and her husband have been residents of Wellington City for 40 years. They have paid taxes and city bills just like any other resident of the city. She wants to continue to pay taxes to Wellington City.
When the Powells first decided to build their new house it was proposed that the entire area immediately adjacent to the city limits be annexed into Wellington.
However, other residents were against that idea. At that time Mayor Powell said she believed she would not be able to run for re-election. However, the idea then became to simply annex the Powell property. That proposal was approved by P&Z, then rejected by the city council.
Meanwhile, Mayor Powell had filed for election. She won the election with more than 55 percent of the vote. Councilwoman Noyes also ran for mayor as a write-in candidate along with Gary Riggs, neither received many votes. At the public hearing Riggs said he supports Mayor Powell. He only ran because he was concerned there would be no candidates if Mayor Powell was ineligible.
In order to remain a resident of Wellington and retain her elected position, Mayor Powell made another request to the city council, which resulted in last week’s public hearing. In opening the public hearing Mayor Powell asked people to stick to the subject of annexation, but people didn’t always do that. At one point a resident scolded the crowd for only coming to council meeting when there was a controversy. The public, as evidenced by comments, was overwhelmingly in support of allowing the annexation and allowing Mayor Powell to retain her position.
Bill Barnes, Wellington resident, said the public had spoken during the election. The public knew what the issue was and Mayor Powell won convincingly. That should send a message to the city council that the residents want Mayor Powell to remain in office and the council should do what is necessary for that to happen. He said there are members of the city council that are now just being “spiteful.”
Councilwoman Noyes said her opposition to the annexation is based on city policy and what’s best for the city and nothing else.
Should policy be changed?
Barnes asked if there had been any other issues in the recent past where an exception was made to a city policy. Councilman Tatton replied there have been variances granted when it is in the best interests of the city.
Barnes said there are always ways to make something happen when it’s in the best interest of the city. Several people in the audience suggested the city policy regarding annexation needs to be changed.
Resident Jean Hardy told the council the city needs all the tax base it can get, even if that’s one parcel of property at a time. Roger Branch said his research shows other cities allow one parcel to be annexed.
Councilman Tatton said the bigger issue is the water line. Will Wellington City be required to purchase the water line, since it will be in the city limits if this annexation is allowed. With that and other questions still looming, the matter was referred back to P&Z for further research and investigation.
If a mayor leaves her city, can the city move to her?
Mayor Powell takes her oath of office at Wednesday’s city council meeting.