By By Kerry Whipple Bean – publisher
Rep. Harry Shiver has not been formally asked to support an annexation proposal by the City of Brewton, and he's not sure how he stands on it.
But he knows most of his constituents in Escambia County are against it.
Shiver, R-Bay Minette, said he had been in contact with Mayor Ted Jennings about the proposal, which calls for annexing three areas of the county, mainly north of Brewton.
City officials originally planned to ask legislators to help pass the annexation proposal next spring, but they have since abandoned that timeline and will work to revise the proposal in the wake of opposition to the idea.
New Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, agreed that he wants to wait and see what the revised proposal looks like.
Shiver and Baker attended a public hearing late last month at which many county residents said they did not want to be annexed.
A majority of the people who would be annexed live in Shiver's district; none live in Baker's.
Baker said he understands that growth is needed, but he also knows that opposition is strong. He pledged that legislators will stay involved in the process.
Many of Shiver's constituents said they were concerned about how much more they would pay in taxes and what services the city would provide in return.
As a new representative, Shiver has not yet participated in a vote in Montgomery.
But as a Bay Minette resident, Shiver said he has seen the &#8220growing pains” experienced in Baldwin County.
State Sen. Pat Lindsey, D-Butler, said he did not know enough about the annexation proposal to comment on it.