Bull City wants no Rougemont rival

The Bull City went on the record Thursday — Durham County ain't big enough for Durham and Rougemont both.

In particular, the City Council voted to tell the county's legislative delegation it's against the Incorporate Rougemont bill that is — again — before the General Assembly.

For the third time in four years, state Rep. Winkie Wilkins, who represents Person and northern Durham counties, has introduced a bill that would let Rougemont residents vote whether to make themselves a town.

Wilkins's bill won a favorable report from the House local-government committee and proceeded to the finance committee, where it has remained since April 2.

In 2004, about 53 percent of the adult residents petitioned the legislature for the right to hold a referendum on incorporation. Advocates claim a town government would provide better services than the county does, including a link to Roxboro's municipal water system.

Some Rougemont residents, though, oppose the idea as only meaning more taxes and more bureaucracy.

A bill to hold a referendum on incorporating also went to the legislature in the 1990s. All the bills have died in committee under opposition from the City of Durham and advocates of city-county merger.

According to the city's 2007 letter to its legislators (which is going out again with the date changed), "having another municipality would complicate the delivery" of shared city-county services for planning, inspections, emergency communication and waste disposal.

"The City is not interested in provided such [services by separate contract with Rougemont] because of the added complexities of doing so."

Chapel Hill, Morrisville and Raleigh are responsible for such services in those parts of Durham County within their city limits.