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Pickerington anti-growth plan stalls

Councilman gets proposal to different committee, but it still doesn?’t pass

By Kirk D . Richards THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


It was Pickerington Councilman Jeff Fix?’s idea to have the city?’s service committee consider his plan for an economic agreement with Violet Township.
But last night, members of that committee expressed reservations.
The issue had been before the finance committee, but Fix asked Mayor David Shaver to switch it to the service committee, where he thought he?’d have a better chance for passage.
Fix, who is on the finance committee but not on the service committee, got his wish. But last night, Council President Brian Wisniewski led a persuasive presentation denouncing the plan.
According to Wisniewski?’s analysis of the plan, the city would be giving up the right to annex residential and agricultural land from Violet Township for 30 years, in exchange for possibly working with the township on developing 42 acres of commercial land.
When the proposal switched to the service committee, critics complained that Fix made the request because Cristie Hammond and Heidi Riggs, of that committee, favored the concept. The third member, Ted Hackworth, is against the plan, but Fix thought the other two would outvote him.
The plan must be forwarded from a committee to go to a full vote before City Council.
But Riggs declined to bring the issue to a vote last night.
''I think you?’ve done a very good job in your research,'' Riggs told Wisniewski. ''I don?’t think the agreement is in any position to move out of service.''
Hammond concurred.
''I have never been 100 percent behind this particular agreement,'' Hammond said.
Fix arrived two hours late for the meeting because he was returning from a trip to Texas.
He had little to say, but he has promoted the agreement as a way to limit residential growth and bring in more commercial development. He has said the opportunity requires some concessions to Violet Township.
Councilman Michael Sabatino commended Riggs and Hammond for holding off, but questioned why the issue was moved from finance to service in the first place.
''I don?’t think how it was done was right,'' Sabatino said. ''It seems like an exercise in futility to me.''
Wisniewski based his analysis on reports from city consultants and projections from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and noted that the agreement covers only land within the Pickerington school district. The thousands of acres that Fix said would be available are either outside of the district or lack roads large enough to handle developments, Wisniewski said.
He said he is not against cooperation with the township but thinks that giving up the power to annex residential or agricultural land for 30 years would tie the hands of future councils.
Although the city could annex commercial land under the agreement, the city would have to give up 50 percent of its income tax from those businesses, Wisniewski said.
''I?’m disappointed that the mayor isn?’t here because he pulled it from finance,'' resident Doug Blake said, urging that the council not rush the proposal through. ''This is the most important piece of legislation I?’ve seen in the five years I?’ve been here.''
krichards@dispatch.com

Dissection of article





?“ Fix arrived two hours late for the meeting because he was returning from a trip to Texas.
He had little to say, but he has promoted the agreement as a way to limit residential growth and bring in more commercial development. He has said the opportunity requires some concessions to Violet Township.?”

You made the mayor move it to a committee meeting that you must have known you couldn?’t attend? Well, I guess now maybe the mayor will think twice before subjugating himself to you. What happened Jeff? You made numerous references in writing to the four votes you had purchased but lost two of them last night? Did common sense or the realization that this isn?’t what the people want prevail with ?“your girls?”?

He had little to say? My bet is he had little of value to say. He?’s never without a lot to say. What can he say about selling out the city? I?’ll bet the after-meeting at the Grapevine left quite a chunk of your a$$ gone after Papa Gary got done with you. You?’ve screwed him twice now, right? Once in 99 and last night, again you failed to deliver. The plans to limit residential growth preceded you, you #$%^& (whoops, no name calling here, right?). You had no hand in slowing residential growth nor have you had a hand in the commercial development boon nor did you have a hand in impact fees that make all growth pay a share of its cost. Nothing, DO YOU HEAR ME, you had nothing to do with any of it. You have spent the last year trying to bite off a piece of something you couldn?’t chew.

I agree that any agreement requires concessions. Jeffy boy, can you name ONE SINGLE CONCESSION that those township jerks were willing to make? No you can?’t because there weren?’t any. Only the city was required to concede and only the township was receiving.

?“ Wisniewski based his analysis on reports from city consultants and projections from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and noted that the agreement covers only land within the Pickerington school district. The thousands of acres that Fix said would be available are either outside of the district or lack roads large enough to handle developments, Wisniewski said.?”

Hey Brian, where did you get all this information? Oh wait, I know the answer. You got all this information from FIX. This is the very information he offered to support his and the other trustees?’ side of the argument. So, in other words, Jeffy never read his own propaganda. If he had, he certainly would have seen the black hole he was pushing us towards, right? Fact is, not only didn?’t he read it, if he even scanned it he didn?’t understand it or Papa Gary told him ?“what it really meant?”. Get your hand out of your puppet Papa. You boy can?’t comprehend data.

Citizens of Pickerington, I CALL YOU TO ACTION!!!

It is time to stop letting our future be decided by incompetent political wannabees. It is time to set ourselves apart from the township and their efforts to take over the city.

IT IS TIME TO FORM OUR OWN TOWNSHIP!! If this isn?’t clear now, it will never be. We need to look to our founding fathers for guidance. We need the right of self determination. We need to be free.

You missed one

Imagine how Riggs and Hammond felt when they were abandoned by Fix. I am sure he got s shocker when he walked in 2 hours late and this abomination wasn't moved on to council.

I just hope that Riggs and Hammond remember this when it comes before them again. The part about Fix telling the world HE HAS HIS 4 VOTES.

Bingo!

Brian has updated his site this AM and I rather enjoyed in his powerpoint the comparison of the Dilbert cartoon to this agreement.