Many Licking County residents don’t want to see change as developments sprout from former farm fields.
Some say the best way to preserve the rural lifestyle of about 3,000 people is for a village and a township to merge.
The unusual question will go before voters next month in the village of Alexandria and St. Albans Township.
In part two of this series, WOSU talks with the side that claims merging is what will destroy the locals' way of life.
“Let's turn on the lights. This is the historic Presbyterian Church in Jersey. It's still used, but our Community Improvement Corporation owns it now to preserve it for historic purposes. So we use it,” said Rob Platte.
Platte is the township administrator in Jersey Township. It’s located next to St. Albans. Platte doesn’t live in either of the communities that are considering the merger.
But at a September township meeting, he spoke prominently against the merger.
“I got to live through the difficulty of a merger,” Platte said. He lives in what used to be Lima Township, which became part of Pataskala in 1996 around the time he learned to drive.
“The reason I know that is because, first of all, the speed limits all changed, right? Because it didn't matter where you were at in the township. The roads that used to be unposted all became 35 mile an hour,” Platte said.
Platte and St. Albans Township Trustee Randy Almendinger are against the merger.
Almendinger bought a home in his township 36 years ago. He’s been a trustee for 16 years. If the merger is approved, he would no longer be a trustee.
Almendinger says if the township becomes a village, the municipality could implement restrictions that a township couldn’t.
“It's frustrating to see what they want to try and do. And I just don't agree with it,” Almendinger said.
He said the village could tell people when they can mow their lawn or ban shooting their guns. The pro-merger side said that no one on the pro-merger side has plans to limit grass mowing or ban shooting.
Almendinger said he doesn’t like the idea of paying Alexandria’s 1% tax on earned income, and doesn’t think the tax would raise enough money to pay for services in the expanded village.
“There will not be enough money to operate their new municipality within three years. It might be two years. They just won't be able to make it. You're going to need more tax increases if the merger passes to be able to get anything done," he said.
The pro-merger side said they’ve studied the issue and the tax will be enough to pay for services. They argue not merging will lead to higher taxes if, or when, the township is annexed off into New Albany.
Each precinct of township and village voters has to approve the merger by a simple majority. If approved, St. Albans Township would disappear from Ohio maps, and the village of Alexandria would grow by about 2,500 people.
Platte said a simple majority could be forcing the change on their neighbors.
“The point is, whether it's earned income or retirement income and stuff, you are forcing an income tax on a large group of people in an unincorporated township that they otherwise don't want that. These people move to townships for that way of life. They don't wanna pay city income tax," he said.
The pro-merger side wants to know why Platte is so invested in the issue.
“Well, I would say upfront, there's nothing in this for me personally,” Platte said. He’s been vocally against the merger at public meetings and serves as treasurer of a political action committee that’s against it and has donated money to try to stop it.
“Because we believe the merger's a terrible idea. I believe in township government and supporting our residents out here," Platte said.
Platte and Almendinger think the pro-merger side has an irrational fear of annexation, and that there is an economic plan in place that prescribes smart growth and will preserve the community from unwanted development.
“Let's not make drastic changes based on fear and baseless allegations and misinformation," Platte said.
“Who cares about the actual township? Instead, let's just create a new municipality,” Almendinger said.
“I bought land out by Granville. That's where I'll be going. After 36 years on the corner,” is what Almendinger had to say regarding if voters turn down the merger.
"If they merge, you're out?” Platte asked.
“If they merge, I'm gone. I'm serious," Almendinger said.
Almendinger said he appointed one of the people pushing for the merger to the township’s Board of Zoning Appeals. If the merger fails and he remains a trustee, he will check into removing Dean Schiller.
“Because (Schiller's) a merger guy. He's not a township guy. I don't know what the legality of that is, but I'm going to do some research," Almendinger said.
Schiller is running for a seat on the potential, new village council.
