Residents weigh in on New Hope potentially incorporating
"There's no benefit today or next year to do what they're talking about doing."
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – New Hope residents voiced their concerns and questions about the possibility of the Lowndes County community becoming a city.
Tony Hannah and Caleb Pounders are spearheading the movement.
Hannah said he held the meeting to clear up confusion and educate his neighbors.
“There’s a lot of misinformation in our community right now concerning the annexation of Columbus and New Hope Incorporating. Both of those are two separate issues. We’re wanting to incorporate New Hope. We want to preserve our way of life,” said Hannah.
Hannah said he’s fulfilling a promise he set while on the campaign trail.
“When I ran for District Three supervisor, this was one of my campaign promises to the citizens of District Three and New Hope that I wanted to try to get New Hope incorporating. So I am doing what I said I would do,” said Hannah.
At least two-thirds of qualified voters who live in the proposed borders would have to sign a petition supporting incorporation.
“We’re hoping two-thirds of the people of the zone that we have set for the city of New Hope, we’re hoping that they would choose to move forward with this process,” said Pounders.
What happens next?
“The next step for us is we will go back and we will analyze what people have given us. The information they’ve given us tonight and we’re going to set zones so we can see where people want to be incorporated and then some don’t want to be incorporated. So we’re going to look at those zones. But our next move would be hiring a consultant firm to start the process of incorporation,” said Pounders.
Incorporation is a multi-step process and could take three years or longer.
