At a packed Pecos City Hall on Dec. 18, residents of Lindsay Addition and other areas spoke in force against a proposed municipal annexation, telling the City Council they do not want more regulation, higher property taxes or to be forced onto city utility systems they say they do not need.

"We have been provided services from Madera Valley; our propane tanks are sufficient," said Yadira Mendoza Avila during public testimony. "There's no benefit to residents when you can't even keep up with city services."

Local attorney and resident Matthew Flores asked the council to pause the effort, saying many families purposely chose to live outside city limits and that annexing an area where a large number of residents object will erode trust between government and neighbors. "Why move forward with an annexation that affected residents clearly do not want in the first place?" Flores asked.

County Commissioner Paul DeNojos told the council the county already spends roughly $137,000 per mile to maintain roads and questioned what the city would offer that residents do not already have. Several speakers pressed the council for clarity on the service plan timeline: staff said service-plan obligations generally allow 2½ years to provide infrastructure and can extend to 4½ years if work cannot be completed in the initial period, a statutory allowance that prompted repeated questions about when taxes would start and whether residents would be paying before receiving new services.

City staff and the acting manager reiterated that no action would be taken at the hearing and that the public hearing record will be part of the ordinance process. The council set the first reading of the annexation ordinance for Jan. 8 and the second reading and formal vote for Jan. 22, giving residents that will be affected additional opportunity to be heard before a final decision.

The public hearing closed at 6:35 p.m.; council members emphasized the record will be considered and that questions about appraisal-district collection timing would be verified with the appraisal district.