Southwest Missouri News--Branson

by Carol Harris, Branson area, and Mary Engler-Guccione, Joplin area

City of Branson officials said they have aggressively annexed more than 200 acres of commercial and residential property during the past four months. The city has targeted properties that have had sewer service agreements with it.

City officials said that, under terms of those agreements, it would provide sewer services to those property owners on the condition they voluntarily annex into the city when their property became contiguous to the city limits.

Many of those businesses and residences are located along Missouri Highway 165 south of Branson. Officials said the annexation will benefit the city by eliminating failing sewer and septic systems around the city and by bringing more properties into the city tax collection area.