" I am on the proposed list of TEMPORARY Aldermen that will serve until an actual vote in the normal election cycle can take place if Fernwood is incorporated. These temporary officials will get no pay of any sort for their service. All of my contact information (and that of all the other TEMPORARY Aldermen and the TEMPORARY Mayor) is available in the letter that was mailed to all of the residents of Fernwood who are registered to vote and eligible to sign the petition. If anyone who is eligible did not get a letter, it was an oversight (the best possible information available was used) and we would love to talk to you in person. We are more than happy to go over any concerns that any eligible resident of Fernwood has so please feel free to contact me. I have four generations in Fernwood spanning more than (at least) 70 years and I do not live around the country club. I have personally spoken with many folks who were born and raised here and are now retired here and so far not a single one has been opposed to the incorporation. Billy: you are wrong. I do care about those people because I am one of them. Charles: there are only two people in the TEMPORARY government from the country club area. Joseph: you can't leave things like they are because Magnolia is annexing our frontage. Fernwood will be in some town's limits soon and I prefer to live in Fernwood, not some other city. Dean: I will have to meet you in person to talk about the Industrial park but I think that section is not in the proposed town limits. Feel free to call me. Clyde: you are correct about the battle. It has already been very expensive. Before people go accusing the "self-appointed" mayor of anything at all they should realize that Scott and Glenn are paying for all of this OUT-OF-POCKET without asking for any help from anyone else. Trejasmine: I'm happy to talk to anyone who wants to listen if they are eligible to sign the petition. Nothing is being hidden and that meeting was open to all residents of Fernwood. The Enterprise Journal article telling Fernwood residents to have "no fear" was followed in less than a week by Magnolia's move to annex the frontage that will destory any change of a viable town. Most of the comments we are hearing in the negative are not from folks from Fernwood. (Without full names I can't even tell if the people here are actual residents or someone pretending.) The editor was exactly wrong in the article and continues to slant coverage of the issue in the negative. If this "valuable" source of information does not present an accurate picture of critical issues it has little value in my opinion. "

" I think that MS Kristen needs to ask the one African American on the board of aldermen to visit the African Americans that live in the proposed area and see what their real concerns are. I was told by a community leader here in the county that you all were going to say this meeting was open to the public -- AND YOU DID! Yet, the E-J was prohibited from covering it. For some of us, the E-J is a vital source of information because of our jobs we can't go to some meetings. Already the mayor and aldermen blocked us from having this news event covered. 50/50?? Don't sound like it! "

" Okay Kristen, since you DO have ties and a "vested interest" in all this mess, will you use your connection to the mayor and aldermen to encourage them to make a PUBLIC statement as to IF they will support industry to move into the Industrial Park just south of the residences located next to the country club? BOTTOM LINE: YES OR NO! (Please don't give me that story about not wanting a prison,,,,we were DUMB here to keep that out. It has been profitable for the communities that have had the common sense to welcome them in.;) "

" There were over 100 people at the town meeting the other night. EJ was not allowed in so they seemed top be insulted. I live in Fernwood and have lived there my whole life. Both my father and my gandfathers have lived in fernwood their whole lives too. None of us are rich. I love fernwwod. It would be wonderful to incorporate. For far too long fernwood has been dependant on magnolia for water. We have had no choice in this matter. That means little water pressure and enough chemicals in the water to burn the skin. It would be wonderful to watch Fernwood flourish with businesses. It seems to me that a lot of people oppose this that do not live in Fernwood. I know taxes will go up. I am prepared for that. I also can see where the people of Fernwood will benefit. That means all poor and rich. "

" Change is coming, whether we like it or not. The bottom line is do you want to be part of Magnolia and help pay off their debt, or do you want to have your own city where you will have a vote in what goes on and have our own debt ? Its as simple as that.The people who are mayor and aldermen are interim positions currently. There had to be to someone to organize this effort. When and if the community becomes a city, then we all will VOTE on who we want in those positions. I commend the people who have taken on this very laborious job of trying to get Fernwood incorporated. It is a very difficult procedure to present to a judge, and if he does not think the community will be able to survive with the plan, the he will deny it. That will be the end of it. Unfortunatley, things will not remain the same in Fernwood for long, I expect, after the annexation of the area proposed to be taken by Magnolia. It may be six months or six years before Magnolia tries to annex more of Fernwood..... why wait to incorporate ?? "

" I would like to comment on Angela's statements. It truly pains my soul that somehow racial issues continue to be raised. We are a community, a whole. We are not one side against another! Most of the people here have a very strong heritage in Fernwood and have all been here for generations. Also- you are mistaken, there is a very fine man who happens to be African American (who does not live on the country club) who is an alderman. The percentage is very close to 50/50 as well- so things are as equal as possible. And yes, I do have ties to an alderman- but even before I did...my views were the same. By the way, I don't live on the country club , nor am I rich- far from it in fact! I love paying as little taxes as possible- I will definately not enjoy forking out more money than I do now....However! I would like to know that the place that I am paying these taxes to have my best interest at heart! One more clarification...The meeting was open to all registered voters of Fernwood- it was absolutely not a "private" meeting! "

" I would just like to say that this forum for comments from the public is great. This adds to the value of the Enterprise Journal which is moving into the now. Thanks to the paper. I don't live in Fernwood, but I find this debate very interesting. "

" Looks like from what Kristen says, Fernwood people do not take or read the EJ. Hey Jack, perhaps you need to knock on the doors of the people of Fernwood and let them know what they are missing, since the people of Fernwood are not readers of the EJ. On a more serious note, I think all of this is crazy and is much to about nothing. This thing will NEVER fly. Fernwood will never be incorporated. Get ready for Magnolia to expand to the north!!!!!!!!!!! "

" Sounds to me like Kristen is on the proposed board of aldermen or either has close ties to it. I have an observation, and for legal reasons, I cannot reveal my sources at this time, but the top people that are putting up the most fight in this regard are the richest of people in the proposed City of Fernwood area. Not to mention the line of residents along Country Club Road that are in this top group. Looks like Kristen and Roy are begging to be disappointed and to pay BIG TIME TAXES over what they are already paying. Truth is, only two of the "promoters" in this effort can actually afford the costs that will come their way if this happens. I also question the lines that were drawn for this new town, it is interesting to me that many of the black residents are excluded from the proposed town. This leaves the blacks that will fall into the new town with little to no voice in the new town. If I am not mistaken, there was not one African-Amercian on the board of aldermen. Now, what does that say? "

" The brewing battle between select Fernwood residents and Magnolia over lands along Interstate 55 is very interesting. Some Fernwood residents seek to form a new city while Magnolia is planning for the annexation of the Fernwood Truck Stop area that has enormous tax value to any governmental entity, though somewhat prospective. For all concerned, fear not. Both residents and Magnolia will be compelled to file seperate complaints in the Pike County Chancery Court in order to prevail. For a new city to be formed, a majority vote of the proposed residents within that area will need to occur and be confirmed by the court. Thereafter, the battle will begin between the two entities. Be assured there will be a race to the courthouse to gain some advantage over the ultimate procedings to follow. It should be interesting and bring forth many comments, opinions and disagreements. I look forward to watching this as it developes over the next year or two. Oh yes, you got it. The lawyers will make a bundle and smile all the way to the banks!!!! Who knows, I may have to come out of retirement for this one!!! What do you think Mr. Dowdy? "

" Just to clarify things a bit....I am one of the "people of Fernwood," and am looking very forward to the changes that are being proposed! The meeting last night was a huge success! The article here is speaking of a past meeting that was taken completely away from the issues at hand- it was out of control. Many many changes have been made since that meeting that this article speaks nothing about. Reason being.... these decisions affect US...Fernwood...not the readers of the EJ. Change will come whether we take it upon ourselves to better this area or we sit back and do nothing and let others decide our fate! We DO have the power to make those changes be for the better! I can guarantee that the people near the country club would MUCH rather have some industry in their back yard as opposed to a prison!!!! "

" I would like to comment that if the meeting was open to all residents, then why was the Enterprise-Journal not permitted to cover the meeting? Sounds like everything is not exactly above board to me. Also based on my observation of the community that Roy commented on, the vast number of the community I have been in contact with is not too excited or happy about incorporating. Just those that live around and next to the country club would be the ones to benefit from this. I would suggest the self appointed mayor and aldermen put up a web site and ask for public opinion on the matter. Of course doing this would probably hurt their feelings. "

" I would like to ask the appointed mayor and the board of aldermen if they would be willing to go on record in support of bringing in industry in the Industrial Park located just south of the houses next to the country club. A statement like this should clear up the concerns of billy and Charles (and many others too). The lack of such a statement would also support billy's and Charles' concern. "

" What is wrong with leaving things like they are? I remember driving by the houses next to the country club and you could not count on both hands the houses that had signs out in front expressing their position against the proposed prison for Pike County. Now these same folks want to take "legal" steps to ensure the country DOES NOT GROW! I don't know about the Good Ole Boy Network -- but I do know the people of Fernwood and I am proud to be a part of them now. Let's leave it be! "

" I echo Billy's comments. Can you imagine how the poor folks that have been left out of the meetings will feel when they fall under the hammer of this self appointment city government? All you have to do is drive along the houses around the country club and start counting how many is part of this new "city government"! JIt is like an elite club. They personally have a vested interest in keeping out new industry (that would be located in their back yards) no matter what Roy says. "

" The meeting was a success. Overwhelming support by the community was the outcome of the meeting. The meeting was open to all residents of the proposed incorporation area. Unlike many in the Pike County area, including many elected officials, this group actually has a vision for future growth in southwest Mississippi. Just because they are not part of the "good old boy" network, does not make them a threat to the area. Fear Not Pike County, they may just bring positive growth along with good job and educational opportunities for many in the community. "

" the main reason the rich folks living around the country club want to incorporate is to block any further industries from building in the industrial park. They don't give a tinkers d#### about the people who have lived in Fernwood for the last 20 or so years. "