Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

I guess Fix finally got someone to come to council to support the Development Agreement that he negotiated and gave away everything to the Township. The problem is his ONLY proponent is a township resident. I would think that all would think it is a great idea to screw the City.

Then there is Dunlap and his FREE MONEY to both sides when infrastructure is provided. Terry who is going to pay the debt service on this free money? Did I see you selling homes for Dominion a few months back? This creative financing you keep promoting seems to have started somewhere by someone that don?’t know what the H--l they are talking about.

BACK TO FIX. He claims that the development agreement is died. He claims the initiative and the Charter amendment to prevent council from giving away the city?’s right to annex and to conform its boundaries is redundant. He says the issue has gone away. If you ever had a reason to vote in favor of issue 9 there is your reason. Clearly Fix is laying low only to find some new rookie council members next year to once again propose to give away the City?’s rights. He is openly recruiting people to run and this will be their platform. He will be more than willing to tell you any one of his big three lies to get his ?“TICKET?” elected and he is not even running????

Committee holds economic pact with proposed changes


By DAVID S. OWEN

In a meeting March 19, the Pickerington City Council Service Committee decided not to discuss a revised version of the Master Economic Development Agreement submitted to the city in February by Violet Township officials, and heard a concern from a township resident.

Along with the city councilmen serving on the service committee -- Cristie Hammond, Ted Hackworth and Jeff Fix -- Councilman Michael Sabatino and City Manager Judy Gilleland were also in attendance.

When it came time to discuss the agreement, Sabatino asked if there was a plan to act on it any time soon. The township trustees are proposing changes in the pact council approved and forwarded to the township trustees for approval in January.
Hammond, who voted in favor of the agreement City Council had approved and forwarded to the township in January replied, ''I don't think there is any plan to act on it at all.''

No one else had any comments and discussions were closed which means the agreement will stay with the Service Committee at least until it's next regular meeting April 16.
City Council President Keith Smith said he doesn't think the revised agreement the township delivered to the city has enough votes to pass because of how the document describes the use of expenses between the township and the city.

''It's expenses related to expenses where infrastructure would need to be put in, and in (the township's) proposal, if a Joint Economic Development Agreement were negotiated, those expenses would not be paid off prior to distribution of revenues, only after,'' Smith said.

''To me that's a bug flaw, because expenses would be paid prior to revenues being distributed,'' he said.

When asked about the expenses issue the next day, Township Trustee Terry Dunlap said the township is willing to negotiate concerns the city has about expenses, but said, in cases where infrastructure is already in place, then it is free money for both sides, meaning revenues could be shared immediately.

By Predictor

More snake oil


Shortly before the Service Committee meeting was adjourned, Violet Township resident Larry Jones raised his hand and asked the committee if someone could explain to him what it means when a city conforms its boundaries and why it is a current issue.
''Conforming boundaries simply means that a city's municipal boundaries would be the townships boundaries and the city would be removed from the surrounding township and create its own township, which would be a 'paper' township,'' Gilleland said.

''The reason it's called a paper township is because it's within a municipal corporation and you don't need the township form of government if you have the township within the municipal boundaries,'' she said.

''Right at the moment, Pickerington is a municipality that exists within Violet Township,'' Hammond said.

''When you conform the boundaries, you decide you no longer want to be a part of the township, in our case Violet Township,'' she said.
''So if we were to conform our boundaries, then the city of Pickerington would no longer be a part of the Violet Township?'' Jones asked.
''That's a pretty major step ... why would we do that?'' he said.
''I don't think there is any plan to do that ... but how anyone votes on that Charter Issue, does not mean we're forming a paper township, it is just a municipal power that cities typically have and to the best of my knowledge have never given that up to a township,'' said Sabatino.

The current proposed amendment to the city's charter, which is expected to be on the ballot in the May 8 primary election, is intended to protect the city's right to annex land and to conform its boundaries if it chooses to do so in the future.

Hackworth said other cities throughout Central Ohio have conformed their boundaries including Columbus, Lancaster, Bexley and Whitehall.

''It's not an easy process to conform the boundaries, because once you as a city take over some of the responsibilities that a township has, like a fire department and whatever else, you have to be able to provide those services,'' Hackworth said.

''What is the value of conforming boundaries?,'' Jones asked.

Hackworth said he didn't know of another city that has ever given up their right to conform its boundaries.

''You can't place a value on having the right to do it, but it's extremely important to have as a right of a city,'' Hackworth said.

''It has extreme value to the city charter and to the citizens living in that city because it gives it some options in the future,'' he said.

''There are a whole lot of scenarios that could happen next week, next month or next year, and the city may need the option, you never know,'' Hackworth said.
''We've seen the township time and time again require that the city give up our right to conform our boundaries, and I keep wondering what is with that, and why?'' he said.



By Predictor