Natchez Alderman James “Ricky” Gray says skin color didn’t have anything to do with his recent opposition to the city’s annexation plans.

“This is not about race,” he said Friday. “This is about not hurting people.”

The “people” in question aren’t real at this point. The people may, eventually, occupy the now unoccupied land off Old Country Club Road in north Natchez.

The site is one of two sites the City of Natchez plans to annex. The other site is off U.S. 61 South. The southern site is also unoccupied, but the owners have plans to develop it.

The Old Country Club Road site has no current development plans.

But it’s the possibility of a future development there that has Gray concerned. And, he’d have good reason to worry because the land would likely become a portion of his ward if and when the annexation is completed.

Only recently, Gray said, did he learn the land included a former dumpsite used by the now defunct Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company.

“All the details were not laid on the table,” he said. “I didn’t realize at the time that this was a dumpsite, and I’ve got to be able to sleep at night.”

Gray said he’s worried that the dump could be contaminated and pose a health risk.

“I’ve got a call in to the DEQ,” Gray said, referring to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

Gray said he simply wants the site tested.

“If we do a study and find that the site is safe, I don’t have any problem with (annexing the site),” he said.

Gray’s point about the environmental concern is well taken.

“I’m doing this for the health and safety for the people that might have to live out there,” Gray said. “I don’t want it on my conscience.

“Our first responsibility is for the safety and welfare of the people of our community.”

Gray said Friday that during a recent annexation hearing, he said he simply “concurred” with Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis’ suggestion that annexing the site on U.S. 61 South would violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as it would “dilute” the minority voting population.

But Gray said his overriding concern is only one of safety.

Gray’s move last week to rescind the alderman’s earlier vote failed with a vote of 4-2, with Gray and Arceneaux-Mathis the lone supporters.

Unless a recent study exists showing that there’s no environmental danger, the city should pursue the matter with the MDEQ to clear the air.

But at the same time the annexation plans should continue. Even if the site is contaminated, that’s not a reason to kill the entire annexation project.

The arguments over dilution of the voting population are thin at best, since both pieces of property are unoccupied.

Until the Voting Rights Act’s restrictions forcing elections changes in Southern states to be approved by the U.S. Justice Department are lifted, such arguments will continue to pop up — even when unmerited.

At the national level the U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case next month that may modify the manner in which the Voting Rights Act will be interpreted and applied in the future.

In the meantime, local leaders and judges must use common sense and logic as we come upon issues facing our community and we must do so without regard to skin color.

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com