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Legislator tells crowd that deannexation bill is dead

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04-18-2007 - from Huntsville Times, WENDY REEVES Times Staff Writer

'If it comes back up, we'll kill it again,' Ball vows

MADISON - State Rep. Mike Ball got a round of applause Tuesday night after telling a crowd of about 50 residents that he believes a proposed bill to deannex 263 acres from Madison is a dead issue.

"I've heard from a lot of you on this issue, and we haven't addressed it yet ... but this was a dead dog from the start," Ball told Madison residents who turned out for a town hall meeting sponsored by the Republican Women of Madison. "At this point, we don't even need it on our radar, but if it comes back up, we'll kill it again."

Ball, R-Madison, was talking about local developer Louis Breland's attempt to deannex his property off Zierdt Road south of Interstate 565 by a legislative act. Madison officials have been fighting the move because of a large, retail development that's planned for the site.

Madison Mayor Sandy Kirkindall said that city officials are still watching developments in the Legislature related to the proposed annexation, but that discussions are ongoing with Breland about the site.

Freshman legislators Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and Rep. Mac McCutcheon, RMonrovia, garnered a few chuckles and nods of approval from the crowd when they talked about unknowingly breaking protocol by making appointments to visit Gov. Bob Riley on issues they believe are important to the area.

McCutcheon said he got upset when he learned about the $400 million bond issue to help bring 2,700 jobs to the Mobile area. So he started putting together facts and figures to present to Riley about how North Alabama needs similar help because of the estimated 5,000 jobs relocating here for BRAC.

Orr said he also discussed roads with Riley and has met several times with representatives of the Alabama Department of Transportation.

"I just have to keep going back," Orr said.

Residents asked questions about a proposed bill that would make smoking a misdemeanor crime and if a constitutional convention to address home rule issues is being discussed.

The legislators hadn't heard of the proposed bill to make smoking a crime in the state, "but I believe most would say that's a local issue," Ball said.

Orr said at this point he is not optimistic that the constitution issue will come up.

"I sit on that committee, and we've had no meeting yet," he said.