THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180376
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Opponents of a possible city-county merger have collected 600 signatures of protest against the process, the leader of an anti-merger group said Tuesday.
Paul A. Bryant, president of the Alliance to Counteract the City/ County Merger, had more than 300 signatures in his hand by the end of his group's second meeting Tuesday night. He said other opponents have gathered at least 300 more.
``There's a bunch of 'em out,'' Bryant said.
The alliance hopes to present 1,000 names to Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County officials when the two governing boards meet soon to discuss the future of the appointed commission studying how to combine the city and county.
About 25 people attended Tuesday's meeting, to which Bryant had invited members of the Elizabeth City Council and Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners. Councilman David P. Bosomworth was the only public official present.
``I just want to hear as much as I can about both sides of the issue,'' said Bosomworth, who is leaving his council seat at the end of the year because he is moving out of the city.
Bosomworth did not comment on the content of the hourlong meeting but did congratulate the group for acting on its beliefs.
``They're doing the right thing,'' he said after the meeting. ``They're holding meetings and signing petitions. All that sort of thing is part of the political process.''
The meeting, like the alliance's first, was dominated by county residents who bristle at the thought of coming under city influence and fear a merged government would mean higher taxes. The other main faction opposing the merger process is a group of black city residents who believe their voting strength would be reduced when spread over the county.Blacks make up a slight majority of the city population and less than 40 percent of the county.
The source of controversy is the 2-year-old Pasquotank-Elizabeth City Governmental Study Commission, which in December told officials that merging the city and county would be ``feasible'' and ``advisable.''
Commission members say a merged government would streamline services and be more fair and accessible to residents.
City and county officials voted in March to enter phase two of the process, which began in earnest last month and involves forming a plan for combining all services under a single governing board.
Before actually taking effect, a merger plan would require approval of the city and county governments, a nod from the state and permission from the U.S. Justice Department. The issue would finally be settled by a countywide referendum.
But many merger opponents don't want the process to get that far. Bryant announced the formation of the anti-merger alliance last month during an unsuccessful campaign to fill Bosomworth's open council seat.
Just last week, county commissioners who have approved of the merger study since its inception began expressing second thoughts. The board voted unanimously to meet with the city soon and decide whether the study should continue.
Anti-merger alliance members think they are gathering the momentum needed to stop the process. Stanley ``Sleepy'' Franks, who ``beat the bushes'' circulating a petition in the Newland area, said he had nearly a 100 percent success rate.
``They right now wanted to sign it. They don't want to merge at all,'' Franks said. ``I had one person turn me down for signing it, and that was a county commissioner.'' by CNB