On Annexation, City Moving Backward

Waiting for requests for voluntary annexation is the same as inaction. It is the role of city government to grow and expand, in a controlled and planned way. After years of work by the Planning and Zoning Committee, a plan was put forth. It was not given the opportunity to be shaped into a proactive, positive and responsible plan for continued growth of the city of Washington.

Annexation is not a popularity contest.

However, the past leaders of Washington have expanded our borders south beyond 14th Street and Steuterman Road, west past Grand Avenue . . . often through unpopular annexations. It is unrealistic for any neighbor in an unincorporated area bordering on a municipal entity not to expect sometime to be the object of an annexation attempt.

This does not mean that forced annexation is an answer . . . it isn’t. However, this current plan was not given the chance to continue the growth of Washington. A community that is not moving forward is moving backward.