LAUREL HILL — Former City Councilman Johnny James and his wife, Earnestine, are a giant step closer to having their property annexed into the city.
At Thursday evening's meeting, the council passed on 3-1 votes two ordinances that, if approved on second readings at the April 7 meeting, will bring the property into the city.
Councilman Scott Moneypenny, who has consistently opposed the James' annexation, voted nay both times.
It's been almost a year since James had to step down from his council seat when it was discovered his property on Robbins Road isn't in the city but is adjacent to it.
It was thought the property was among those annexed in the 1960s by James' father-in-law, former Laurel Hill Mayor Vizell Robbins. For unknown reasons, the property was omitted when Robbins had his other adjoining properties annexed.
The ordinances passed Thursday evening would respectively accept the James's request for annexation and would amend the city's comprehensive plan and future land use map to reflect the addition of the property into the city.
"I've been living in Laurel Hill all my life," Earnestine James said. "We would appreciate everyone's support. We have been praying we can be annexed."
In related action, the council unanimously voted to approve an ordinance requiring any future annexation requests to be entirely funded by the requesters.
"It will be all on the individual's back to take care of everything and hand it to the city and say, 'I want to be annexed,'" council Chairman Larry Hendren said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: James property closer to annexation in Laurel Hill