ELKINS — Elkins city officials met Wednesday with residential property owners along the North Randolph Avenue route the city is seeking to annex.

The city wants to annex the property before Corridor H brings new economic development to the area, but at Wednesday’s meeting several property owners said they saw no benefits they would receive by being annexed.

Richard Holland, who owns a property lot in the area, asked how the city would deal with LED signs, gambling machines and building fees on new construction if the properties are annexed. He said if the city doesn’t have the same ordinances for the annexed areas it will result in “picking winners and losers. If you get in early, you win.”

Charlie Friddle, chairman of the city’s Finance Committee, said, “We have not discussed any of these issues specifically. That’s something that would be discussed as we move forward.”

City Clerk Jessica Sutton said the Elkins Planning Commission, which is working on a new zoning ordinance for the city, also will take such issues into consideration.

Susan Godwin, who owns property in Gilman and with her family owns Randolph Memorial Company on North Randolph Avenue, asked, “I want to know what you’re offering out our way… what kind of protection? You’re supposed to be offering some services to us… All the services you have to offer, we already have.”

She also noted that Tygart Valley Sanitation is currently serving some of the property owners.

Friddle said, “The city will continue our relationship with Tygarts Valley Sanitation and they will continue their business in that area. We have no intention of taking business away from Tygarts Valley Sanitation.”

Robert Mullenax, owner of Gun Mart on Harrison Avenue, said he does not own property along North Randolph Avenue, but felt sure the city also would soon try to annex the “doughnut holes” properties along Harrison Avenue.

“I don’t want the city to annex my business,” Mullenax said. “I don’t see the benefit.”

He said the city has in recent years instituted both a fire fee and a 1 percent sales tax. “I can’t afford to be in Elkins,” he said.

Friddle responded by saying, “It’s not the intent of the city to run you out of business or negatively impact your business. Businesses are the economic motor for the city.”

Friddle pointed out that one reason the city is beginning an annexation effort is to bring Elkins up from a Class 3 city to a Class 2 designation, which requires a population of 10,000. Elkins’ population is currently below 8,000 residents.

Randolph County Commission President Mark Scott, who also attended Wednesday’s meeting, asked how many residents the city would add by annexing the properties along North Randolph Avenue. Sutton said she was still trying to determine the exact number, but said her guess would be about 30 residents.

Scott also advised the city to quantify exactly what moving up to a Class 2 designation would mean to Elkins financially, in order to better inform residents as well as the county commission, which will rule on any annexation applications.

The city is looking at annexing this property by minor boundary adjustment, which requires the city to pass an ordinance with two readings, and then present an application to the county commission for review. Approval requires a majority vote by the commission.

Sutton also confirmed that Highland Park cannot be annexed by the city through minor boundary adjustment, because it is not contiguous to the highway’s right of way.

The lack of sewage service to some of the properties was mentioned Wednesday, as it was in last week’s meeting between city officials and business and commercial property owners in the area.

Savannah Marstiller pointed out that there is no sewage service to her property. “We shouldn’t be in city limits if we can’t have what everybody else has,” she said.

Operations Manager Bob Pingley said sewage service could be provided to those areas, but it would require an “investment” by the city.

“Anything’s possible as far as getting sewer out to that area, but there are some questions that have to be answered,” Pingley said, noting that any jurisdictional issues with the Leadsville Public Service District would have to be worked out.

“There’s also an economic consideration,” Pingley said. “You’re going to put more into getting that line out there than you’re going to get back for quite a while, until it develops around that interchange there with the corridor, which it will … What the city would be doing is investing in that for that future growth.”

Friddle also noted that, if the annexation takes place, those people who reside within city limits will be eligible to vote in city elections, but owners of property within city limits who live outside of Elkins will not be able to vote in municipal elections.

A total of 11 property owners attended the meeting. Also present were City Council members Friddle, Rob Chenoweth, Linda Vest, David Parker, Marly Hazen, Marilynn Cuonzo, Judy Guye and Mike Hinchman.

Other city officials taking part were Treasurer Tracy Judy, Chief of Police Glenn Galloway and Fire Chief Tom Meader. Officials said Mayor Van Broughton was ill and could not attend.