Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Secret emails start to tell the story.




PICKERINGTON-VIOLET TOWNSHIP


3 council members
upset with proposal to limit annexations



By Kirk D . Richards THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




The Pickerington City Council is set to approve an agreement with Violet Township that would stop the city from annexing land without the township?’s approval.

Opponents of the measure say they?’re ready to start circulating a referendum petition to kill the deal at the ballot if the council approves it Tuesday night.

Four of the seven council members have said they intend to vote for the economic-development agreement.

The other three council members, Ted Hackworth, Michael Sabatino and Brian Wisniewski, say they were denied a role in deciding the terms of the agreement; they say e-mails show they were excluded from discussions until it was too late.

Supporters say that the agreement would benefit both the township and city by having them share the income-tax revenue from new businesses within the Pickerington school district.

Opponents say the price is too steep because the agreement would prohibit the city from annexing land for 10 years to 30 years unless the township grants permission.

If opponents collect enough signatures, the legislation could not go into effect before November 2007, when voters would decide its fate.

Hackworth, Sabatino and Wisniewski say that Councilman Jeff Fix negotiated terms on his own and then sold the idea to the council members who were most friendly to the concept.

E-mail records show that Fix communicated with council members Cristie Hammond, Heidi Riggs and Keith Smith in messages that did not include Hackworth, Sabatino and Wisniewski.

Smith sent a message in July saying ''I?’m inclined to support this agreement,'' but also noted that he?’s concerned about giving veto power to the township over annexations.

Meanwhile, Hackworth, Sabatino and Wisniewski say they didn?’t see anything on the proposal until Aug. 1, when it was in the form of a contract that Fix wanted the council to approve.

Fix said he was working with those who wanted to push for what residents had asked him to do on the campaign trail: attain cooperation with the township.

Nonetheless, Wisniewski said it seems to him that Fix was working more for the township than his own city. To support his thought, Wisniewski pointed to one e-mail that Fix sent to Violet Township officials in October urging patience as the council considered the agreement.

''This is what you have asked of me and what I intend to deliver,'' Fix stated in the e-mail, which also went to some Canal Winchester officials. ''I apologize to all involved that the process is taking longer than originally intended.''

Fix had trouble getting the legislation out of a council committee until Mayor David Shaver switched it to a committee where Hammond and Riggs were able to send it to the full council.

Fix strongly defends the proposal, saying the lack of an agreement would cause the township to work with Canal Winchester for economic development. Concessions must be made, he said, because the township likely would be more attracted to sharing revenues from the Canal Winchester?’s 2-percent income tax rate; Pickerington?’s rate is 1 percent.

Still, opponents say the agreement wouldn?’t stop Canal Winchester from annexing land.

''I?’m not against cooperation, but I don?’t believe that this proposal is in the best interest of the city of Pickerington,'' Sabatino said. ''If it?’s a trust-me deal, I don?’t trust them.''

krichards@dispatch.com

Buying the Brooklyn Bridge

This agreement is nothing more than a resume filler for Fix. He claims to be so skilled in negotiations but the fact is ANYBODY could have come up with a document that gave everything away to the other side. The fact that we now learn that he was not keeping the three minority members in the loop was for good reason. They probably had seen this before and knew that the trustees were going to stick it to the city residents if they could find 4 irresponsible city council members to go along the Looney Tunes Mayor.

Although Fix claims financial rewards for the city from this agreement he can not put his finger on anything specific. Which means a coffee salesman has much more business sense than Fix. Has anyone seen any expert opinions relating to the City future financial condition if this thing passes tomorrow? The fact is there are none. Fix is NOT qualified to be making these kinds of decisions and shame on the other three that are going along with his scheme.

I am sure Heidi was promised the world for her support. She went out on a limb in October to delay the process so that they could get by her absence during election night. One thing we can all take to the bank is that she NEVER READ the damn thing and believes every word Jeff says. Will Heidi be appointed Mayor later this year? Will this give her the family health insurance she needs after losing her job at the SOS?

Keith Smith does say the things you might want to hear but like a fool that he is he is also signing off on the thing as well. What's in for Keith? Keith is a relatively new comer to Pickerington. He moved here in late 2003. He knows little about the history or the problems facing this community. He also ran to help the seniors. We now know that he said that to get them to support him and nothing more. He has broken that promise within the first six months in office.

Cristie is a real disappointment. She is timid and afraid to swim against the current. She has accepted what Mr. Fix has to say without question. That senile old goat she is married to is a negative influence on her decision making as well.

Then there is Fix the boot licker. As pointed out in the article he is more concerned about pleasing his handlers like Gary Weltlich and Mayor Jeff Miller than the citizens he represents here in the City. For him to someday run for County Commissioner he needs this on his resume. GOD help Fairfield County. You Democrats need to get going on your candidates and soon.

After two years in Office, the Mayor wanted to pursue his ''lifelong Dream'' of being a Judge. HE FAILED TO GET ANY SUPPORT FROM THOSE THAT KNOW HIM BEST! One must question if Mayor Shaver really wanted to serve the citizens of Pickerington or to promote himself for higher office? I think the latter.

For the three that had the B---LS to oppose this agreement they will receive their just do tomorrow and be banished to the third seat on any committee they might be allowed to serve on. I would look for a consolidation of power to enhance the one chosen tomorrow night to lead council and the city for the next year.

What you all should fear living in the city in 2007 and beyond is that the big box will come back. It will require huge capital investments on the part of someone. With the propensity of this new council majority to ignore the City's professional staff because they are the smartest people in the universe we will find ourselves in a huge financial whole very quickly.

You all can expect Jeff and Keith to be out looking to raise the city's income taxes as a direct result of giving away the city's future income. The only saving grace we have is that they must come to the voters to approve income tax increases.

Apathy got us here in 2002 and Apathy is returning us to those days. The only difference is that in 2002 we were giving away the city's tax dollars to the buiilders in 2007 we are giving away the tax dollars to the Trustees.

By Bob the Builder

Delivering to Canal Winchester??

I guess we should ask what exactly was Jeff Fix asked to deliver? Apparently a truck load of Pickerington City rights and taxpayer money.

''This is what you have asked of me and what I intend to deliver,'' Fix stated in the e-mail, which also went to some Canal Winchester officials. ''I apologize to all involved that the process is taking longer than originally intended.''

Jeff you are a crook!!!

What does the Mayor of Canal Winchester have to do with this? It is time for some answers Mr. Fix.