DAPHNE — Many questions were asked and many comments were made at Monday night’s meeting held to explain Daphne’s proposed annexation plans.

Unfortunately for Mayor Fred Small, none of the speakers favored a city proposal to annex land including the Belforest community.

Speaking before a crowd of about 65 people, Small explained the rational behind increasing the city’s boundaries.

Small said it would “square off” city boundaries, a move that could help with response by public safety employees.

He also spoke in detail about the city services — including police and garbage — that new residents would receive.

“We have a response time of about four minutes to get to you for a 911 call and that’s one thing we’d like to offer you,” Small said.

Each participant received a city packet on zoning, as well as a sheet comparing services currently available to residents in unincorporated areas and those offered by Daphne.

Large maps were posted on the walls of the Daphne High cafeteria and city department heads were on hand to answer questions.

None of these resources or Small’s answers seemed to satisfy audience members.

“We’ve always considered you to be part of our community. Now we would like you to become part of our community if at all possible,” he said.

In the end, no one responded positively when Small asked who favored the plan.

At one point, Belforest resident Della Sanchez tried to explain the citizens’ reactions.

“The resistance you’re encountering here is because you’re threatening a way of life here,” Sanchez said, as people nodded in agreement.

“That’s why we moved here. We’re not knocking on Daphne’s door.”

A man in the audience, who said he hadn’t heard any good comments about the proposal, challenged Daphne’s motives for the move.

“This annexation is about getting money. And it will cost us more, that’s the bottom line,” he said.

He dismissed the city’s estimated taxes as “politician math” that would hurt citizens.

“Our taxes aren’t that much higher,” Small said.

During the evening’s discussion, Small had said that the city “wants to control the commercial property on the east side of Route 181.”

He also acknowledged that city leaders are interested in the “tax dollars” that may be generated there.

The fact that no new trailers could be brought into the area if it is annexed bothered many speakers.

Small explained that the city already has one area designated for mobile homes.

Pleasant Road resident Sam Dean was unhappy when he learned that hunting would be restricted within city limits.

“If you try to take away our hunting and impose restrictions, the people in this area are going to rebel — that’s just the bottom line,” Dean said.

One speaker, Willie Williams, urged his fellow residents to compare city and county options before making any decisions.

“You need to pull out the county regulations and see which is better,” he said.

“We do already have county zoning in place, but many people just don’t know it.”

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