Muncie's Annexation Proposal in Disarray; New Council Leadership Depresses Audience
1.7.2025 / News / munciepostdemocrat.com
The first council meeting of 2025 saw a long expected change as Jerry Dishman is no longer its president. Along with the change from Dishman to Harold Mason, Vice President Nora Powell has been replaced by Brandon Garrett and Secretary Sara Gullion with Billy McIntosh.
Although the change in leadership appears to have been in talks for some time, due to the often slow and confused nature of last years meetings, last night also saw issue after issue with following standard procedures. Besides appointments to the Ethics Commission (Rev. W.C. Edwards and Chip Taylor) as well as ordinances to “clean up” city code (Ord. 39-24, 40-24, 1-25), colossal news hit members of the crowd when some pertinent opposition to the ongoing annexation debacle came up.
John Fallon, representing the Farmington Neighborhood Association, spoke out against the annexation proposal. 40 out of 59 property owners who were asked about the plan disapproved, citing reasons such as increased taxation, questions regarding whether public safety would improve or not, as well as future paving.
Despite the opposition by the Farmington Neighborhood Association, council at the tail end of the meeting approved Res. 2-25, a resolution. Council-member Nora Powell made a request that the ordinances pertaining to the annexation be reviewed by the Land and Traffic committee.
John Fallon speaking at City Hall.
The future of the plan as a whole is in an unusual spot. The resolution now passed does not hold the same weight as the set of ordinances that are to be voted for adoption in future meetings, however last night’s vote on the resolution makes that outcome debatable.