Editing Leland, North Carolina (section)

==History==
===Settlement===
What is today known as Leland was once a small settlement built upon where Village Road crossed the [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]], [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]] and [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]] railroad lines. The town is named after (Joseph W. Gay) the first postmaster's nephew, Leland Adams. Leland benefited greatly from its proximity to the Brunswick River, allowing it to serve as an early transportation center, giving travelers the ability to traverse the Brunswick and Cape Fear rivers.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Leland |url=https://www.townofleland.com/history-leland |website=Town of Leland |publisher=VC3 |access-date=November 8, 2021}}</ref>
[[File:Sample_Ballot_LelandNC_incorporation.jpg|thumb|Sample ballot of the vote for Leland to incorporate.|left|175x175px]]

===Incorporation===
The citizens of Leland voted down an attempt at incorporation in 1979. Leland was ultimately incorporated as a town on September 5, 1989, in a passing vote of 472–42. After the ordinance passed to incorporate the town of Leland, Leland was governed by twelve members of the Leland Town Charter Commission until [[Election Day (United States)|Election Day]] of 1989. Leland has been governed by a [[mayor-council government]] since its first general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lNpOAAAAIBAJ&pg=3954%2C5107253 |title=Leland |work=Star-News |date=May 24, 1998 |access-date=November 3, 2021 |pages=41}}</ref>

===Dispute with Belville===
In March and April 1989, Belville made unsuccessful attempts to annex the area known as Leland. This, in turn resulted in the Leland civic association making proactive attempts to incorporate to avoid annexation. [[Belville, North Carolina|Belville]]'s commissioners voted to annex a business district roughly an hour before Leland had finalized the vote to incorporate. Leland's first mayor, Russell Baldwin, when questioned about the matter, stated: "It was kind of a dirty trick. They made a mockery of the annexation laws."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ives |first1=Millard |title=Annexation dispute latest in ongoing feud |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pLAsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dB8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2305%2C3397022 |access-date=November 5, 2021 |agency=Morning Star |issue=301 |publisher=Morning Star |date=September 30, 2002|volume=135 }}</ref>

===Merger attempts===
In 2012, according to Jack Batson, the mayor of Belville at the time, "It's something that's always on people's minds because you see the way the maps are laid out. It makes sense." Belville is effectively an enclave township surrounded by Leland's borders to the left and the Brunswick River to the right.<ref name=BelvilleMerge>{{cite news|title=Leland and Belville to consider merging into one town |url=https://www.wect.com/story/18932704/special-meeting-leaders-to-discuss-merging-belville-and-leland/ |access-date=November 6, 2021 |publisher=Gray Television Inc. |work=WECT6 News |date=July 2, 2012}}</ref> In April 1996, during Leland mayor Franky Thomas' tenure, an unsuccessful attempt was made to merge the Leland sanitary district, Leland, Belville, and Navassa into one large town. In 2000, Leland made an unsuccessful attempt to merge with Navassa, Belville, and the North Brunswick sanitary district.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ives |first1=Millard |title=Annexation dispute latest in ongoing feud |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pLAsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dB8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2305%2C3397022 |date=September 30, 2002 |access-date=November 6, 2021 |newspaper=Morning Star |volume=135 |number=301}}</ref> Another attempt was made in 2012 to merge with Belville. Leland officials attempted to entice Belville officials, citing the town's contract issues with Urban Smart Growth that Belville had entered into years before to develop its downtown. If Leland and Belville were to merge, Belville would have the funds to buy out the contract, or fight it out in court.<ref name=BelvilleMerge/> Jack Batson, the mayor of Belville at the time, faced heavy criticism for discussing the subject matter with Leland officials. One Belville resident stated; "When I voted for Mr. Batson, I thought I was voting for the position of mayor, not God."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Spiers |first1=Jonathan |title=Belville rebukes mayor for merger talks with Leland |url=https://stateportpilot.com/news/article_a4c83516-cb84-11e1-9c5b-0019bb2963f4.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106214542/https://stateportpilot.com/news/article_a4c83516-cb84-11e1-9c5b-0019bb2963f4.html |newspaper=State Port Pilot |publisher=TownNews |date=July 11, 2012 |archive-date=November 6, 2021}}</ref>