Subdivision discussed
By Dean Shipley
Staff Writer
Burr Oaks subdivision in Pleasant Township was brought up Monday evening during the meeting of the Mt. Sterling Council. Council member Diane Spradlin said she had read an article in The Madison Press about the neighboring subdivision but was apparently puzzled why discussion thereon had not been brought up at council meetings.
Village administrator Joe Johnson told the council the article to which Spradlin had referenced has caused the matter of Burr Oaks “to get a little out of hand.”
Johnson said when he and village mayor Charlie Neff met with commissioners in August, the visit’s primary goal was to be granted permission by the commissioners to co-sign a letter of inquiry to the 63 households and three businesses in the subdivision regarding water service and potential annexation to the village.
“We’re not forcing anybody to come into the village,” Johnson said.
“We just want to do a survey and it got blown out of proportion.”
Since the village will be building a new water plant, it wanted to know if the residents of Burr Oaks would be interested in having the village’s water service. The new plant, with its up-to-date technology, would put an end to what has been referred to as the “village’s crumby water.”
Johnson is aware of it and has been working hard to get approval for the new plant and subsequently secure funding therefore.
He also understands those Burr Oaks residents who have apparently spoken out do not, as members of the village, want to pay its one-percent income tax.
“They don’t want to pay the income tax and that’s their right,” Johnson said. “I understand it’s their choice.”
Neff agreed the Burr Oaks discussion “got out of hand.”
Spradlin asked Johnson if the commissioners consented to co-signing the proposed survey letter to Burr Oaks and Johnson said they did consent.
In other business, the village granted permission for a parade to be held at 4 p.m., Sunday afternoon, for the celebration of Good Ole Days.
In the discussion of legislation regarding water service shut-off, in its second reading, village administrator Johnson said it is updating its legislation to align the village with other communities. Johnson explained water bills are to be paid by the 10th of the month. If the bill remains unpaid by the 15th of the month, the water service will be shut off on the 16th.
Johnson said it allows for more control and to prevent landlords from being stuck with huge water bills, run up by delinquent renters.
“It’s less of a burden on the landlord for a high water bill,” Johnson said.
I have reposted the original story on the annex for reference; (FILL FREE TO DRAW YOUR OWN CONCUSION, or as the Mayor said during the Council Meeting “ASSuME” as the people did about the story)
Mt. Sterling may annex more land
By Fran Odyniec
Editor
It won’t be a case of water under the bridge, if an annexation effort led by Mt. Sterling village officials is successful.
The village has its eyes on approximately 68 acres that lie on both sides of U.S. Route 62 west of Schadel Road stretching west to Third Street.
Included in that area is the Burr Oaks residential community and three businesses: Jay Car Construction, Whiteside Motors, and Dave Kehl Chevrolet.
Water lines are already in service along Schadel Road and could be extended west, according to village officials.
Mt. Sterling Mayor Charlie Neff and Village Administrator Joe Johnson met Monday afternoon with Madison County commissioners during their weekly courthouse session to explore the protocol needed for annexation.
Madison County Prosecutor Steve Pronai asked what the village sees as benefits that could be had through annexation.
Neff and Johnson indicated that water and sewer service to that area would be improved. A sanitary water or sewer system which is part of the county’s sewer system is already in place.
“Everything is on wells,” Neff said of the area west of Schadel Road.
He cautioned that sooner or later the EPA will “start saying something about the septic tanks and the water,” referring to the proximity of septic tanks to wells.
“With water already on the east end of the village on Schadel Road,” Neff continued. “We can get adequate water to Burr Oaks.”
Johnson said that extending water and sewer service to the targeted area would fit in nicely with the village’s new water plant that will be built in the northeast corner of William Mason Memorial Park on state Route 207.
Both the wells and drainage, especially the periodic flooding on U.S. Route 62 would be addressed with a complete water system, said Johnson.
With, as he called it “providing safer and adequate water,” Johnson added that annexation would help increase growth in the Mt. Sterling area.
“That and hydrants would help with insurance rates,” he said.
“Annexation would improve our revenue and provide more tax bases,” Neff said.
According to both of these village officials, there seems to be initial support for annexation among homeowners. However, it may take some convincing to win over the businesses in that area.
“You want to remain business-friendly,” advised Commissioner Paul Gross.
“You would hate to force this on businesses in that stretch,” said Commissioner Mark Forrest.
As next steps in the process toward annexation, Pronai advised that the village will need to meet with Pleasant Township trustees to determine their degree of interest in having those approximately 68 acres annexed into Mt. Sterling.
The commissioners agreed with Neff and Johnson that it would be appropriate to send a letter to all residents and businesses within the area proposed for annexation to explain the reasons why the village is considering such action.
When asked by Neff if the village could include the commissioners’ names in the letter, the commissioners agreed on the condition that the village would consider the concerns of the businesses in that area suggesting that a phased-in approach could be part of the annexation plan.
“In order to move ahead,” said Pronai, “those holding 51 percent of the land mass must be willing to come in to the village.”