A group of Adams County citizens worried about being annexed are petitioning the Board of Aldermen for more information about their plans for annexation.

Lynwood Easterling, chairman of the Adams County Concerned Citizens Against Annexation, gave the board a petition signed by 1,165 people.

&uot;We believe annexation … is not in the best interest of Adams County or the City of Natchez,&uot; Easterling read from the petition.

Although the board of aldermen has not formally discussed annexation, they have considered annexing parts of U.S. 61 South and U.S. 61 North.

The petition asks the board for disclosure of:

Reasons for the city’s considering annexation.

Listing of each known and likely impact of annexation on the individual residents of proposed area.

Legal criteria the city has to meet in order to annex the area.

The identities of interested parties who are developers or city or county officials.

The petition asks the board to respond within 30 days.

&uot;We really would like to stop all the rumors,&uot; Easterling told the board. He was joined at the meeting by several members of the Citizens Against Annexation.

Mayor Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot; Brown s said the city would try to answer all of the questions in the petition.

Easterling also invited the mayor and board to the next meeting of the group.

Brown said he was interested in attending their next meeting. &uot;It’s the first time I’ve ever been invited,&uot; he said.

Adams County Supervisor Darryl Grennell attended the board of aldermen meeting and said he is opposed to annexation.

But following the meeting, Brown said he did not understand why the county would be opposed to annexation. &uot;It doesn’t cost the county anything,&uot; he said.

But Alderman David Massey, Ward 5, said he is opposed to annexation.

After the meeting, he said his experience with the city’s last annexation of Mt. Carmel and Oakland subdivisions made him wary of another expansion by the city.

Those residents, Massey said, had a several problems following annexation including water they couldn’t drink for two years.

County residents’ taxes would also go up if they are annexed, he said.

&uot;I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,&uot; he said of the process. &uot;It was a burden on them.

&uot;People that live in the county choose to live in the county,&uot; he added.

Easterling said other petitions are still circulating, and he was pleased with the number of signatures.

&uot;It shows me people are concerned about it,&uot; he said.