73 Residents and an Industrial Park at Stake in Long Beach Land Dispute

The Long Beach annexation case returned to Harrison County chancery court on Monday, November 3. This marked the first session in a month. The city’s legal team resumed its presentation of evidence.

J. Chadwick Mask, the city’s attorney, called urban planning professional Mike Slaughter to the stand. Slaughter’s testimony addressed the city’s population density and growth trends observed over the last 10 to 20 years. His account aimed to demonstrate the necessity for the city’s expansion.

The proposed annexation covers an area containing 35 single-family homes. It includes 73 residents and the local industrial park. Mayor Tim Pierce argued that the city has provided utilities and first responders to these zones for decades. He noted that residents in this area do not pay city taxes, unlike other Long Beach taxpayers.

Opponents of the plan view the move as a financial maneuver. They argue the city seeks to capture approximately $305,000 in annual tax revenue from the industrial park. Herbert Stelly, an opponent, expressed his frustration during testimony. “I’ve got to look at increased taxes. There’s no reason for this. There’s no reason whatsoever. Long Beach has not done anything for Long Beach’s industrial park. I hope that the judge will listen to all of the facts, and I’m sure he will,” Stelly said.

Cross-examination of Slaughter is scheduled to conclude Tuesday. Following that, the opposition side will begin calling witnesses to detail their objections to the annexation.