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Proposed city-township economic pact heads to council
By DAVID S. OWEN
Pickerington Times Sun
With a 2-1 vote during Thursday's Pickerington Service Committee meeting, the proposed economic development agreement between the city and Violet Township was forwarded to the next Pickerington City Council meeting agenda for a first reading.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday where the agreement will be given its first reading towards being approved.
Councilmen and Service Committee members Heidi Riggs and Christie Hammond both voted ''yes,'' to send the agreement forward and Ted Hackworth voted ''no.''
The proposed agreement, if approved by council, will likely bring the birth of a referendum to life from some members of council and citizens of Pickerington.
The agreement, drawn up and designed through negotiations by Councilman Jeff Fix and Violet Township Trustee Gary Weltlich, is designed to lock both governments together into economic development agreements, potentially for the next 30 years. Fix was conducting the negotiations at the direction of Pickerington Mayor David Shaver.
''I'm pleased it's moving forward and all of council will have a chance to debate and vote on it,'' said Fix.
''We still have a lot of work to do, but the ball is rolling,'' he said.
''The bottom line is, are we going to work with the township or not?'' Riggs said. ''... And I think we've made progress here,'' she said.
''This is exactly what I anticipated it would be, which is a Shaver and Fix railroad at full steam,'' said Councilman Michael Sabatino.
''The city has plenty of options and opportunity to do economic development, and I think if this agreement is adopted, you'll find there's no substance, and it's nothing more than whipped cream and no desert to be eaten,'' Sabatino said.
''My suspicion is, after council's first reading of the agreement on Nov. 21, a special meeting will then be scheduled for the following Thursday and Friday, and before the week is out, the railroad is at the end of the line,'' he said.
Throughout the past month the agreement has been met with heated opposition from Sabatino, Hackworth and City Council President Brian Wisniewski.
All three said they do not oppose working with the township economically, but with the current agreement, if approved, they are concerned how it will affect the citizens of Pickerington.
City Manager Judy Gilleland and Director of Economic Development Tim Hansley put together a revised edition of the agreement, proposed it for consideration to the service committee, but it was not considered.
''We have a professional staff, who have experience managing cities, and they put forth recommendations which were ignored,'' Wisniewski said.
''Then we let politicians come up with a policy on this and how we're going to sell our city and turn the keys over to the township,'' he said.
''I think this will have a long-range effect on the city, and I don't think it's something we need to be rushing out,'' Hackworth said.
Hackworth said a referendum on the agreement, if it passes through council, will most likely become a reality.
''This agreement, if passed, will cause us harm in the future, and I'm talking financial and taxpayer harm,'' he said.
Proposed city-township economic pact heads to council
By DAVID S. OWEN
Pickerington Times Sun
With a 2-1 vote during Thursday's Pickerington Service Committee meeting, the proposed economic development agreement between the city and Violet Township was forwarded to the next Pickerington City Council meeting agenda for a first reading.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday where the agreement will be given its first reading towards being approved.
Councilmen and Service Committee members Heidi Riggs and Christie Hammond both voted ''yes,'' to send the agreement forward and Ted Hackworth voted ''no.''
The proposed agreement, if approved by council, will likely bring the birth of a referendum to life from some members of council and citizens of Pickerington.
The agreement, drawn up and designed through negotiations by Councilman Jeff Fix and Violet Township Trustee Gary Weltlich, is designed to lock both governments together into economic development agreements, potentially for the next 30 years. Fix was conducting the negotiations at the direction of Pickerington Mayor David Shaver.
''I'm pleased it's moving forward and all of council will have a chance to debate and vote on it,'' said Fix.
''We still have a lot of work to do, but the ball is rolling,'' he said.
''The bottom line is, are we going to work with the township or not?'' Riggs said. ''... And I think we've made progress here,'' she said.
''This is exactly what I anticipated it would be, which is a Shaver and Fix railroad at full steam,'' said Councilman Michael Sabatino.
''The city has plenty of options and opportunity to do economic development, and I think if this agreement is adopted, you'll find there's no substance, and it's nothing more than whipped cream and no desert to be eaten,'' Sabatino said.
''My suspicion is, after council's first reading of the agreement on Nov. 21, a special meeting will then be scheduled for the following Thursday and Friday, and before the week is out, the railroad is at the end of the line,'' he said.
Throughout the past month the agreement has been met with heated opposition from Sabatino, Hackworth and City Council President Brian Wisniewski.
All three said they do not oppose working with the township economically, but with the current agreement, if approved, they are concerned how it will affect the citizens of Pickerington.
City Manager Judy Gilleland and Director of Economic Development Tim Hansley put together a revised edition of the agreement, proposed it for consideration to the service committee, but it was not considered.
''We have a professional staff, who have experience managing cities, and they put forth recommendations which were ignored,'' Wisniewski said.
''Then we let politicians come up with a policy on this and how we're going to sell our city and turn the keys over to the township,'' he said.
''I think this will have a long-range effect on the city, and I don't think it's something we need to be rushing out,'' Hackworth said.
Hackworth said a referendum on the agreement, if it passes through council, will most likely become a reality.
''This agreement, if passed, will cause us harm in the future, and I'm talking financial and taxpayer harm,'' he said.
