Board approves petition to annex property for new Loxley Elementary after discussion about adjacency and services

The Baldwin County Public Schools board approved a motion on Jan. 15 to petition that property for a new Loxley Elementary School be annexed into the municipal limits of the City of Loxley, after an extended discussion about adjacency and service jurisdiction.

Board members said the mayor had requested the annexation. Several members sought clarity about whether the parcel met adjacency or continuity requirements for annexation and whether the property already lay within the city’s planning jurisdiction or fire district. One board member asked directly, "For annexation, there has to be an adjacency. Correct?" Staff answered that their only conversations with the city had noted the city master plan showed land to the west (the site of a proposed fire and police facility) and said they would look into whether planning-jurisdiction (PJ) lines or extensions applied.

Members also discussed operational side issues the annexation could affect, including whether school-resource-officer (SRO) jurisdiction would change and whether the district might ask cities to provide SROs. "We pay for all of our SROs," a staff member said, and the board discussed the possibility of asking cities to assist if annexations increase municipal service responsibilities.

The motion to approve the petition was moved and seconded; the board recorded approval by voice vote. The motion’s agenda exhibit and packet materials were referenced; those supporting documents were provided to board members under separate cover.

District staff were asked to confirm adjacency, planning-jurisdiction lines and fire-district status and report back to the board. The board did not read detailed exhibit contents into the public record during the meeting.