During their regular meeting Tuesday evening, Galion City Council approved three pieces of legislation that pertained to land annexation and one that dealt with a detachment of land from the city.
Ordinances 2014-98, 99, and 100 relate to the annexation of 5.8 acres of land on Portland Way North, near the Keep It Classy car wash.
Attorney Tim O’Leary explained at the meeting that this is an expedited type two annexation, “so it would become part of the city, but it would also remain part of the [Polk] township,” he said.
The property belongs to Dave Chandler. O’Leary said that Chandler hopes to develop the property and use some of the proceeds from the development to start some sort of scholarship fund.
“It’s a very worthy project that’s good for both economic development of the town and also for the citizens of the town,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary could not speak to what would be developed; however, he said it will probably be something along the lines of what is already established in that area. “I think what would probably make the most sense and will be discussed is that there are a lot of professional buildings out through there—doctor’s offices, a bank, Edward Jones—so probably something along those lines,” he said.
Council passed the three ordinances under suspension.
Council also passed the first reading of Ordinance No. 2014-104. The ordinance approves a petition by six landowners to detach 177.51 acres of land located north of U.S. Route 30 from the city and attach to Jackson Township.
Council member Steve Rowan commented, “We’re going to lose 177 acres at an interchange…We’re going to live to regret this.” The interchange he’s referring to is the U.S. Route 30 and state Route 61 interchange.
Council President Carl Watt said that the property was part of an annexation of 1,357 acres in 2003. He said that as part of the agreement, the six landowners were promised city water; however, that would have cost about $318,000. “That would have been a burden on the entire City of Galion,” Watt said.
“This proposal would be just to detach them from the City of Galion,” he added. “It would be up to them if they so wish to file for annexation into the Village of Crestline.”
Mayor Tom O’Leary expressed his frustration with the Village of Crestline. He said that the village could extend water to the property owners, “but [the village] seems to be on the side of leading the detachment; I don’t get that,” he said.
O’Leary went on to say, “I don’t think it’s fair to represent this as losing 177 acres of imminently developable ground. That’s really not the case.”
He said the owner of the ground has to want to develop it, “and I’m not seeing that out of any of the succeeding owners,” he said.
However, Rowan said that he asked one of the owners if he would be interested in developing his property if something came along, and the owner said yes.
But the mayor remarked, “This notion that you can be sort of open for it if it comes along is just not how economic development works. And we’ve been fooling ourselves for quite a while on how to make it happen.”
The first reading of the ordinance passed 5-1, with Rowan abstaining (Council member Tom Fellner was absent).
In other news, Galion YMCA Director Terry Gribble gave a brief financial summary for Heise Pool’s most recent season.
He said that because of poor weather conditions, the pool was closed early or couldn’t open at all 38 of 75 days. For the recent season, their reported expenses were greater than their income; therefore, Gribble asked that the city reimburse the YMCA $9,910.
Mayor Tom O’Leary said that from a budget point of view, the city will be able to reimburse the YMCA without any supplemental appropriations or any additional spending.
“I don’t think it’s fair to represent this as losing 177 acres of imminently developable ground. That’s really not the case, ” stated Mayor Tom O’Leary.
