Harrison County Judge Hears New Evidence on Long Beach Annexation

The Harrison County Circuit Court resumed hearings on the Long Beach annexation proposal on Monday, breaking a month-long silence in the legal dispute. The case returned to the docket after a hiatus that left the future of a specific stretch of property in limbo.

City attorney J. Chadwick Mask presented the municipal side of the argument by calling Mike Slaughter, an urban planning professional, to the witness stand. Slaughter’s testimony addressed the demographic shifts in Long Beach over the last two decades. He detailed population density trends to justify the city’s need for expansion.

The proposed boundary change would absorb 35 single-family homes occupied by 73 people, along with the local industrial park. Mayor Tim Pierce argued that the city has supplied utilities and first responders to these areas for decades. He noted that residents in these zones do not currently pay city taxes, creating a fiscal disparity with other Long Beach taxpayers.

Opponents of the measure characterize the move as a financial strategy rather than a service necessity. They estimate the industrial park would generate approximately $305,000 in annual tax revenue for the city. Herbert Stelly, a vocal critic, argued that the city has historically neglected the industrial park while seeking to increase tax obligations.

Stelly told the court, “There’s no reason for this. There’s no reason whatsoever. Long Beach has not done anything for Long Beach’s industrial park.” He expressed confidence that the presiding judge would weigh all factual evidence before ruling on the proposal.

Cross-examination of Slaughter is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday. The opposition is expected to begin presenting its own witnesses immediately afterward to detail their objections to the annexation.