From our Files

By Staff
Oct. 9, 1986
Merger issues draw crowd at town meeting
Approximately 100 people, most wearing "Vote Against Annexation" buttons, attended a town meeting at the Madison Recreation Center called by the Committee for a Better Madison.
The meeting's purpose was to present Madison residents with updated information on city services from both Madison and Huntsville city governments. Madison residents are faced with a vote on Nov. 25 to decide whether they will merge this smaller city with the city of Huntsville or remain an independent entity.
However, according to the section of the Alabama State Code (11-42-100) that the merger falls under, if Madison were voted to be annexed into Huntsville"…then, upon the expiration of 45 days…the territory within the corporate limits of such city or town shall become a part of the annexing municipality and may be divided into wards or annexed to wards already established."
The Committee for a Better Madison initiated the call for a referendum on the merger issue after petitions it circulated were returned with a said majority of the comments being in favor of a vote to decide the issue.
Nobody at the meeting came out in favor of annexation.
Nov. 26, 1986
Madison saved by 3:1 vote margin
Attention has probably never been more focused on anything during a meeting of the Madison City Commission than when the results of the annexation referendum were being read off by City Clerk Betty Benson.
The totals: 699 for annexation, 2,245 against. The move to annex the 117 year-old-city of Madison into Huntsville had been resoundingly defeated by a three to one vote margin.