(PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
VACATION … Janette Russel Gee discusses her issues with her late father’s property and asks for their approval to vacate a portion of the property.
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
During a meeting on Thursday, January 9th, the Williams County Commissioners decided to take 30 days to review an annexation petition.
The petition was submitted by a resident of Pulaski Township who is required by a lending institution to connect to city water provided by the city of Bryan. Ryan Thompson, the petitioner’s attorney, attended the meeting to discuss the relevant Ohio Revised Codes concerning annexation.
He also referenced a previous case in which an earlier board of Williams County Commissioners opposed an annexation related to Holiday City.
Pulaski Township Trustees were also present during the meeting and shared that they do not want the annexation to take place as it would alter their borders.
In 2005, a city ordinance was passed stating that properties must be annexed into the city to receive city water services.
Some homes in the area that are currently connected to the city of Bryan’s water had the service before the ordinance was enacted.
There has been some disagreement among the homeowners: one homeowner is willing to annex to receive city water, while the other does not want to annex.
No decision was made based on the information presented, and the commissioners have granted a 30-day review period. During this time, if the homeowners agree to forgo the annexation, the petition can be withdrawn.
Once the commissioners complete their research and make a decision, a resolution will be passed and forwarded to the City of Bryan, Pulaski Township, and the relevant agency.
The commissioners met with Janette Russel Gee to discuss a vacation hearing in Northwest Township. Gee is seeking approval to vacate a portion of Eureka Drive to address an encroachment issue on her late father’s property, which is necessary for her to proceed with selling the house.
Currently, she is unable to secure a loan because part of the property is located on Eureka Drive.
The Northwest Township Trustees have approved the vacation of the designated portion of the road to properly align the property boundaries.
However, there is a complication: when a road is vacated, it is typically split down the center, which does not resolve the encroachment issue.
Fortunately, the county engineer, Todd Roth, has endorsed this action. With his approval, the commissioners agreed to grant the vacation.
In other news, the commissioners agreed to accept sealed bids for asphalt emulsion and approved $12,250 in grant funds to support the county’s participation in a wellness program.
Additionally, they decided to postpone advertising for sealed bids regarding the Hickory Hills sewer plant project.
The commissioners also discussed a potential tax exemption for an airport hangar and awarded a bid of $57,091.89 for a chemical detector.