When you think about how much has changed in the last 100 years, it'sstaggering. In Carthage, you might be surprised at what has stayed thesame. The town borders have gone unchanged for a century.
Those borders, drawn years ago, exclude black neighborhoods.
"We have residents who've been on the outside of town for years who reallyare a part of the town except for in name only," says town manager BobBoyette.
Those residents live in the Needmore section and the Dowd Street section. Last month, the town annexed Dowd Street, and it plans to annex Needmorenext spring.
Milton Dowdy grew up in Needmore. He's a town public works employee whohas worked tirelessly for annexation. Dowdy believes the excludedneighborhoods have been treated like a step-child. Going into the 21stcentury, he believes it isn't right for any neighborhood to be excluded.
There's also a practical side to annexation. Services. One local churchis not inside the town limits. Its members wanted to develop a head startprogram, but couldn't because its water didn't meet standards.
Annexation will mean garbage pick-up, better police protection and streetlighting, things many people agree are overdue and will make life betterfor those who were left out.
The town of Carthage has received a grant to help pay for water and sewerhook-ups. That way, the people who are annexed won't have to pay for it.
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