Look around the Mississippi side of our area and you’ll notice lots of togetherness. Everywhere you look the two kinds of people are mixing together. That’s correct, city folks and county folks work, play, worship, socialize and shop side by side. Only occasionally are the two groups separated by the imaginary border.

While that border is difficult to see, its power is amazing. Just the mention of changing that border by means of annexing portions of the county will raise the ire of some county residents and make city leaders cower in the corner.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen voted last week to stop considering annexing portions of the county. Their reasons, board members said, were largely due to an inability to explain the benefits of annexation to county residents.

In other words, they had difficulty explaining to county residents the &uot;what’s in it for me&uot; portion of the equation.

That excuse seems like a cop out.

The benefits available to annexed regions should be clear, assuming the city follows through in delivering city services in a timely fashion.

Think about the current situation. County residents already drive city streets and take advantage of city recreation opportunities. They do so without paying city taxes.

What’s worse is that some areas of the county already receive city services but are technically in the county. This needs to be remedied.

Natchez Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith expressed disappointment over the blanket rejection of annexation. Smith accurately pointed out that some areas off Highland Boulevard already receive city services but are technically in the county.

Despite the invisible city limits border, Natchez and Adams County should work to become one entity. And in that process annexation or consolidation makes sense.

Growth of the city may be difficult at times, but it is certainly necessary and long overdue.

Unfortunately, the city’s future will have a to wait a bit.