Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Or better said, WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING?

Why after all this time has Gilleland opened her mouth? She has sat silently by for the last year and watched our city government being torn to shreds by professional politicians. Why all of a sudden has she opened her mouth?

Is this an admission on her part that comments made at the Service Committee meeting were true? When questioned why not a single staffer had participated in the economic agreement negotiations with the township, did this open her eyes to the fact that she has no clue as to what her job is or how to do it? Now all of a sudden she wants staff involved? Was this all decided at a bar in the township?

Let me ask this Judith, who in your opinion is charged with running this city?

Screw your opinion, YOU ARE. When it is convenient to you, sit down and read the City Charter. Next time you?’re pounding suds at the Grapevine, sit in a better lit spot and read the Charter. You?’ll be surprised to see that YOU WERE HIRED TO RUN THE CITY.

The pathetic souls you get drunk with are elected to vote on issues you and your staff bring to their attention.

You?’re the COE of this company, girlfriend, they are just the board of directors.

Grow up, sober up and do your damned job or go back to Dayton.




City weighing offer to keep annexing powers in pact with township

Thursday, October 26, 2006
By SEAN CASEY
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Pickerington city staff is endorsing compromises to a cooperative development proposal with Violet Township that would allow the city to retain its power to annex residential land.

During a work session proceeding Tuesday night's city council meeting, Pickerington City Manager Judith Gilleland offered two resolutions to the annexation issue, which has caused much trepidation among the council members while vetting the proposal.


She recommended Pickerington stipulate that it keep the ability to acquire land as long as it is not within an area designated for cooperative development with the township or that the city could annex any property abutting its boundaries as long as it compensates the township potentially with a small share of income tax generated from the land.

In the present draft of the cooperative development proposal, the city would enter into an annexation agreement with Violet Township for the development of any commercial property contiguous to Pickerington's existing borders. However, the city would relinquish its right to annex residential land for the duration of the agreement, which could last as many as 30 years.
Gilleland made the recommendations after she and Economic Development Director Tim Hansley reviewed the proposal at the request of council's finance committee.

more smoke to come......

More Smoke from the barroom

Gilleland made the recommendations after she and Economic Development Director Tim Hansley reviewed the proposal at the request of council's finance committee.
In the negotiation of the agreement, which Councilman Jeff Fix has led on behalf of the city, the clause that would surrender Pickerington's residential annexation authority has divided the council and postponed vote on the proposal while the members try to resolve their differences.
''For development that may or may never occur, we are asked to give up our powers,'' Councilman Brian Wisniewski said. He added that the city may regret that decision if beneficial opportunities to acquire properties arise.
With the rate at which Pickerington's population has swelled in recent years, however, Fix said the city should not encourage more home construction any time soon.
''Why would we want to continue to annex residential properties and dig ourselves and our schools into a deeper hole?'' Fix asked. Exercising the right is not in the city's best interest in the foreseeable future and is not worth missing out on commercial development opportunities, he said.
Violet Township Trustee Harry Myers, who attended Tuesday's council meeting, had no comment on the proposed compromises but said the township would consider any revisions officially presented to it.
The trustees have been steadfast about securing Pickerington's commitment not to annex land in the joint-development agreement because Myers said the expansion of the city negatively affects township finances.
Pickerington residents continue to pay the levy that funds the Violet Township Fire Department, which serves the city, and under a city ordinance, Pickerington reimburses the township for money it loses on a road and bridge levy once properties are annexed into the city.
Myers said the values of those properties, for taxation purposes, are frozen at the time of the transaction, and the township misses out on increases in tax dollars generated from increases in property values.
''They have to give us something,'' Myers said.
Discussions of the recommendations presented by Gilleland Tuesday, as well as other topics of contention in the draft proposal, will continued during an additional work session, which city council has yet to schedule.