Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Below is a quote from Gary Weltlich published in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette this morning (3/5/08).

''I think the city has done a great job in economic development,'' he said. ''I think Violet Township has done a good job. The county has to catch up. I think they take credit for things they don't do. I think they have to accelerate their efforts and change their direction.''


Cleary the voters saw through the say anything or do anything of Gary Weltlich. The county Republicans will now stick with Judy Shupe for commissioner this November.

Now with the above Weltlich comment in mind look below at another comments made by Weltlich on January 23rd at the Bloom Township Trustee meeting.

?“Weltlich said if Bloom does not join the JEDD, the developers will determine your destiny. Without restrictions, without regulations it will develop like it did in Pickerington. He said they are in financial trouble.?”

So Mr. Weltlich what is the truth in your mind? Or were you lying both times?

Here is another quote from That January 23RD Bloom meeting:

?“Weltlich and Yaple said that most do not have a problem paying the income tax because they are offered the tax abatement and infrastructure. He said the income tax offsets the abatement. Smith said he heard that a company decided to go into Greenfield Twp instead of Lancaster because they didn?’t want to pay the income tax.?”

Now compare this to the promo from Mike Arcari and John McGory?’s 92 acres located in the proposed JEDD area.

?“Managing partners Michael Arcari and John McGory believe the growth of Fairfield County and the location of the park will make it a success.?”

John goes on to say:

?“McGory said the unique feature of the project is the combination of centralized water and sewer and NO CORPORATE OR PERSONAL municipal income tax on companies and their employees locating at Sycamore Crossing.?”

Keep in mind that in 2006 John McGory was working for Pickerington as their development director. He also has joined or formed a group to buy the 92 acres in question and take a risk that he can develop it and get a return on their investments. Clearly Mr. McGory is an expert and Jeff Fix, Gary Weltlich and Brian Sauer are not.

Clearly Weltlich, Fix, and Sauer were in charge when the Republican Club of Northwest Fairfield County bit the dust and they now have lost even more credibility with their asinine statements regarding this JEDD and leading up to this primary election. Considering that the FIVE members of the Pickerington City Council signed a letter supporting Gary Weltlich and lied about Weltlich creating the first JEDD in central Ohio they all seem to be well on their way to destroying the Pickerington City council as an institution. The reason they will destroy the city council is that they refuse to set aside their damn egos and let the real experts handle the development of the city and the community.

By Average Joe taxpayer

Experts

Tim Hansley is the Director of Development for the city and is also currently the interim city manager. He is one of the most respected governmental leaders in Ohio. I would venture to guess that he knows a bit - just a bit - more about econcomic development than John McGory. Mr. Hansley sat in on every one of the negotiations for the JEDD and has supported bringing it to Council. I am not perfect. Neither (I'm guessing) is Mr. Sauer. But let's not predict the downfall of Pickerington's city council on our support of a JEDD that has, in effect, been negotiated by our own expert.



By Jeff Fix

Try Al Schrader; Jeff

Jeff your nose is growing!

Fix ignores Hansley and Staff

Fix negotiating with Council and Staff:

SERVICE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2006
REGULAR MEETING
7:30 P.M.


Mr. Hackworth: Okay. There was a request at the October Service Committee Meeting for our staff to come up with a version of this and they did. It?’s got a date here of 11-1-2006 and I?’m not quite sure how it morphed into this other agreement. I know we had the work session and a lot of this went before Council and it?’s somewhat different -- considerably different -- than the staff version. There seems to be some confusion from people that I received calls from of what was voted on. So, I just want to clarify that the staff version has not been moved through Council yet.

Mr. Sabatino: Is that?….

Mr. Hackworth: It was a staff version presented, but it wasn?’t voted on. Okay?

Mr. Sabatino: So the analogy is the staff input is not, or the staff suggestions, are not reflected in the current form as presented? Is that correct?
Mr. Hackworth: Yeah, some of them are, but the major concerns that I think some of us have were not addressed in the Ordinance moving through Council at this time. I guess my question is, I know Mr. Fix has indicated that this was too favorable to the City, the draft ordinance, however, I think we could get more votes from Council if we were to adopt the staff version and is ?– I mean, at least it would be a less controversy as far as this Council goes. I know the Trustees probably wouldn?’t accept it, but maybe we could get some feedback from them what they?’re expecting, a little more from them.

Mrs. Riggs: And I apologize. I don?’t have a copy of that. I?’m kind of interested in what are the major differences.

Mr. Fix: The primary difference is that?—

Mrs. Riggs: The annexation?

Mr. Hackworth: Yeah. The annexations are kind of ?– we talked about commercial, they didn?’t restrict anything on the residential. The terms were three five-year periods, I think, and they dropped the rights to conform ?… Would you make copies of this?

Mrs. Yartin: Which one?

Mr. Hackworth: (inaudible)

Mrs. Hammond: I think. I?’m not sure, but I think--

Mr. Hackworth: Would you make a copy of that one, because I don?’t think I?’ve got the right one here?…

Mrs. Hammond: That is the one we had on Tuesday.

Mr. Sabatino: And also on this topic, I think at some point in time there was a discussion about either side would have the ability to opt out with 120-day notice or something. I don?’t think that that?’s in this one either, Jeff.

Mrs. Hammond: I thought that it said that the City could opt out of any?—

Mr. Fix: The motion that?’s been voted on by Council says that with 120 days?’ notice, within 120 days of the expiration of the first ten years.

Mr. Sabatino: Right. So once you sign it you?’re in it for 10 years, correct?

Mr. Fix: That?’s correct.

Mrs. Hammond: I thought it said though that we could opt out at each agreement.

Mr. Fix: We can opt out after ten years or after the second ten years.

Mr. Sabatino: Right. So?…

Mr. Fix: Once you sign up it?’s a ten-year deal.

Mr. Hackworth: Well, I think we?’re talking two different things here and I think?—