Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Pickerington, township far from deal
Councilman wants to stop annexing residential land

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Kirk D . Richards

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


Pickerington would suspend its right to annex residential land for 30 years if Councilman Jeff Fix gets his colleagues to approve an agreement with Violet Township.
Fix is running into resistance. Other council members refused to bring the agreement out of the finance committee, where Fix introduced it last week.
Nonetheless, Fix promotes the agreement he negotiated and wants a special meeting called to hash out issues to get it passed.
He says the agreement is needed to limit residential growth and to work with Violet Township to attract more commercial development.
''One of my frustrations as a new council member was seeing how long it takes to get things done,'' said Fix, who was elected last year. ''It drags on for too long. We?’re missing out on commercial activity.'' (RICART SALESMAN)
Council President Brian Wisniewski said the issue should not be rushed, noting that the finance committee got to consider the issue only once.
Although the agreement would allow the city to annex commercial land, the city would have to share half of the income taxes derived from that property with Violet Township.
Councilman Michael Sabatino called the plan a ''sell-out.''
''We haven?’t even gotten anything and we?’re giving up our negotiating power up front,'' Sabatino said. ''I don?’t fault the township trustees for trying to get the best deal for themselves, but I do fault Pickerington officials who are so ready to give away the future of the city.''
Wisniewski noted that other municipalities bordering Violet Township, such as Canal Winchester, would not be stopped from annexing township land.
The council president says it would prevent future Pickerington leaders from annexing land.
Wisniewski further complained that no study was performed to show the financial risks or benefits of the plan.
In addition, the proposal lacks an entity for resolving disputes or keeping track of the flow of tax dollars, Wisniewski said. Fix said that would be decided in the future.
Wisniewski said the city has impact fees and residential guidelines that would not be enforced on land remaining in the township, although Fix said that is not necessarily the case.
''I am all for cooperation and for us working together with the township, but there are limits,'' Wisniewski said. ''I don?’t think this is a fair deal for the residents of Pickerington.''
John Mahoney, of the Ohio Municipal League, said it is not uncommon for jurisdictions to agree to halt annexations as part of a joint economic development agreement, although he could not recall one that extended for 30 years.
However, it is unusual for a council member to bring back an agreement that was not supported by all or most of the other council members of a community, Mahoney said.
''These are agreements in which everybody agrees,'' Mahoney said. ''That?’s the point.''
Some council members expressed frustration that Fix mainly handled negations with the township on his own as the appointee of Mayor David Shaver. But others had no problem with that, saying it helped to streamline the process.
Violet Township Trustee Terry Dunlap said there is no deadline and it is not too late to make changes. He just wants a united proposal from Pickerington.
''They?’ve got to solve their differences,'' Dunlap said, adding that the township would have to move on if something isn?’t agreed upon. ''Pickerington?’s not the only player, but they?’re the closest.''

krichards@dispatch.com



By Observer

We are trendsetters

John Mahoney, of the Ohio Municipal League, said it is not uncommon for jurisdictions to agree to halt annexations as part of a joint economic development agreement, although he could not recall one that extended for 30 years.
However, it is unusual for a council member to bring back an agreement that was not supported by all or most of the other council members of a community, Mahoney said.
''These are agreements in which everybody agrees,'' Mahoney said. ''That?’s the point.''


Pickerington tries to set the trends in many areas. Are these the right areas?

Should we bind our children and grandchildren to absolute cintrol of the trustees?

As to it being unusual to keep bringing the same thing back again and again, look up the definition of relentless.

trade offs in Picktown

Here we have the ?“newly?” elected Councilman Jeffery Fix that wants to move this agreement forward simply because he has his four votes. It also appears that two of these four votes were elected the same day as Jeffery. Did the Mayor screw up here by appointing a newly elected member of council to lead the negotiations with the township and that newly elected member has not been through a budget yet? .

''One of my frustrations as a new council member was seeing how long it takes to get things done,'' said Fix, who was elected last year. ''It drags on for too long. We?’re missing out on commercial activity.''

Are the current City council members that have at least seen the budget resisting out of a political revenge or a real concern for the future of the city? Is Jeffery Fix telling the council members including the ones he has in his pocket the truth? Apparently there seems to be a difference of urgency between the Township Trustees Chairman Terry Dunlap and Mr. Fix. Is Fix telling his colleagues on council everything?


?“Violet Township Trustee Terry Dunlap said there is no deadline and it is not too late to make changes. He just wants a united proposal from Pickerington.?”


Now lets look at the connects here with the NW Republican Club. Members who favor this 30 year agreement are Jeff Fix, David Shaver, Keith Smith and Cristie Hammond (who?’s husband is a Member) and then for the township we have Gary Weltlich, Terry Dunlap and Harry Myers. Although I do not think Mr. Myers is as active as the other two trustees he was endorsed by the Club and these two trustees were endorsed in 2001 by the Pickerington Area Republican Club.

Does anyone have the campaign reports from Mr. Fix? I am told that all but a couple hundred dollars in Fix?’s campaign came from outside the City. In fact he only received a hundred or so from City residents one of whom was the Mayor. I understand that his treasurer (John Dolske) lives in the Township and that John is currently serving on the Fairfield County Board of Elections. Is this a you scratch my back I?’ll scratch yours? Wasn?’t John appointed after Jeff was elected?








By Disgusted

You are right

You are right to be disgusted for these and many more reasons. For now I'll stick to the commercial development point that the Almighty brought up.

What commercial has the city missed out on? All I hear about is new commercial development coming. Look around for goodness sakes. There is not talk about an assisted care living facility along 256 just north of the Ricketts?’. The area by Kohl?’s thanks to the efforts of councilmen and staff with actual experience has a beneficial TIF and new development coming.

You know, you have to look back to see where we came from. A couple of years ago the planning and zoning commission was essentially reborn with members who shared a commitment of quality development. Gone were the days of rubber stamps and developer-controlled processes. Unless you are to busy trying to not get in a wreck driving on 256, look around. Certainly you see the demarcation between the commission of the past and the commission that existed up until January of this year.

Don?’t listen to the lies. We haven?’t missed a beat in commercial development and won?’t. The comparison to beneficial commercial development in the township and in the city is apples and oranges. We are fast outpacing them. The rooftops are already here. The commercial always follows. There is nothing the township has done to contribute to the commercial development in the city and there?’s nothing they will or can do in the future. No agreements are necessary. The SR33 development may come sometime down the road but unless the Almighty Fix has insider information of a deal that is imminent, then it is all promises and maybes. No hard facts.

Stick to your guns you anti-agreement folks. We simply don?’t need to give up so much to gain little to nothing in return. To be honest, any councilman that voted for this agreement should be run out of office for allowing an agreement so detrimental to the residents to happen.