Semmes Incorporation Supporters Plead Their Case

Those who support incorporating Semmes held a meeting Tuesday night to state their case.
More than a hundred people came to the Mary G. Montgomery High School auditorium to hear speakers talk about why Semmes should incorporate into its own city.
This meeting was planned even before Mobile Mayor Sam Jones announced his annexation plan involving nearby businesses, like the Wal Mart SuperCenter at Moffett Road and Schillinger.
Incorporation supporter Tony Crabtree said, "If we are able to incorporate ourselves, we'll set our own zoning standards."
The meeting provided a political "Who's Who?" of people representing the area.
Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran told the audience, "As the sheriff, I just wanted to tell you if you should decide to vote to incorporate, you'll continue to receive the services from the sheriff's office and I'll do everything I can to help you get set up as a city."
Mobile County School Board Member Ken Megginson talked about how the school system lost $2.5 million when part of west Mobile was annexed.
Megginson said, "The superintendent has a meeting with the mayor later on this week, or the first of next week, and he's going to bring us some information back, but until that information comes back, School Board Commissioner Ken Megginson, District One, will not support an annexation of any part of Mobile County."
Those attending the meeting had different thoughts on incorporation.
Betsy Dodd said she supports incorporation because "I want to keep it small in Semmes. I think it needs to be small here."
Shellie Wilson said, "I'll have to make decisions later on, depending on the amount of information that comes out of this meeting."
Bob Tanner said, "I'm definitely against incorporation. I like Semmes the way it is."
The "Incorporate Semmes" group will hold more meetings in coming weeks to talk about circulating petitions paving the way for an incorporation vote.