Annexation, at long last

Talk of annexing Southside Oroville into the city have been ongoing for five decades. This week that dream, for many, came a whole lot closer to reality.

“This is an emotional thing for me,” said a choked up Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly during the panel’s meeting Tuesday (Oct. 21). After a unanimous vote in support of the city annexing a large chunk of the area—where Connelly grew up—he jumped up and cheered, did a little “happy dance,” if you will. “Well, that was unprecedented,” he laughed as he sat back down.

Connelly wasn’t the only one cheering. Oroville Mayor Linda Dahlmeier gave a heartfelt thank you to everyone who had helped bring the issue this far. And Southside Pastor Kevin Thompson echoed that sentiment, calling the members of the board—and Dahlmeier, too—his “heroes and sheroes.”

The issue of annexing Southside Oroville goes back decades. The area, bordered by city land on three sides, is known for its diversity—more than 30 percent of its residents are black—as well as its poverty and associated problems. Most of the businesses in the area have either been annexed or closed, Connelly noted.

If annexed, residents of Southside Oroville, many of whom shop in Oroville, work in Oroville and recreate in Oroville, will for the first time get to vote in city elections and run for City Council. They will get access to city services, such as police, fire and road maintenance. Over the years, some residents have resisted annexation, citing fears of higher taxes and fewer services.

Ultimately, the board voted to support the annexation of “Area A”—the mostly urban part of South Oroville—and authorized the expenditure of up to $20,000 to cover the city’s application fee to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). Additionally, they voted to submit their own application should the Oroville City Council decide not to initiate the application process on its own.

Turns out, that second part was unnecessary. Later that evening, the Oroville City Council took up the issue and voted, 5-2, to begin the application process for annexation of South Oroville, Areas A and B. Area B is rural, which is why the supervisors voted in support only of annexing the more urban Area A.

“We’re going to apply for them separately. We don’t want to force anybody to be in,” Dahlmeier said by phone Wednesday. “Since I’ve been mayor, this has been the city’s No. 1 priority. It’s the right timing and it’s the right thing to do.”

Connelly agreed. “In my 10 years in office, Oroville has always complained about South Oroville,” he said. “If it’s your biggest issue, address that and every problem will be smaller afterwards.”

Connelly said he believes the majority of the people who live in Area A want to be part of the city. That may not be true for Area B, he added, calling it a “red herring” for the city. “The city can do whatever they want, but A really needs to happen,” he said.

Those in attendance at the supervisors’ meeting agreed that annexation is needed.

“It means a lot for a community that is underserved and, in most cases, not served at all,” Thompson said after the meeting. “When we cast our first ballot for city elections in 2016, we will be so thankful.”

Thompson is part of an ad-hoc committee calling itself the Friends of Southside. It’s made up of residents of the area, but also those who reside in the city and elsewhere.

“I live on Montgomery Street, in the historic district, and to me, Southside has always been part of Oroville,” said committee member Allen Young. “To make it happen, we had to get out there. The Southside community is really for [annexation].”

Fellow member Bill Bynum characterized Southside as an urban area that’s been “skipped over for decades” when annexation is discussed.

The city of Oroville will submit its application for annexation to LAFCo, which will then have 90 days to respond. If approved, there will be a public comment period. “I think LAFCo will unanimously approve it—there won’t be a problem there,” Connelly predicted.