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Home > Blogs > Greene County News > Archives > 2009 > January > 08 > Entry
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Merger Commission hits hurdle
Dr. Hugh Hinton of the University of Toledo, who was expected to guide a merger study for the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Merger Commission, died unexpectedly Dec. 17.
The Merger Commission spent its Wednesday, Jan. 7 meeting discussing what to do next, eventually settling on several courses of action.
While they wait to hear whether others at Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center could perform the study, commissioners are contacting other professional groups who might be able to do the work.
The commissioners also plan to review other recent merger studies to gain a mastery of the issues in play, and will work with city and township officials to create a “statement of work” or list of topics any outside study group would be expected to address.
The commission hopes to have one or more outside study groups make presentations at its next meeting, at 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Sugarcreek Twp. offices, 2090 Ferry Road.
You can read more about the Merger Commission at www.mergerstudy.com.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Bellbrook
Comments
By Don from Sugarcreek
January 11, 2009 10:01 PM | Link to this
Sorry if I missed the details by not reading the wording on the ballot, but I already knew I was voting “No” on the Merger Study. So, my question is, where is this commission getting the thousands of dollars to pay for merger studies. Did those who voted to approve it also vote to fund it? Also, I know that the issue on the ballot had to be placed on the ballot for a specific township and specific city, but if this commission is really going to determine what is best for the township, the study should also include the benefits of merging with a city other than Bellbrook or maybe even being divided among two or more cities.By Bill in Sugarcreek
January 14, 2009 12:25 AM | Link to this
I voted “yes” for the merger study because I wanted information. I want a citizen led commission to look at all the pros and cons of a possible merger between Sugarcreek and Bellbrook. This work is too important to be left in the hands of elected politicians. When I voted for the Merger Study I knew where the money was coming from to fund the study. The township and the city will share the cost of the study, almost equally. The study will take about a year and a half to complete and will cost in the range of $50k to $75k. Townships are helpless to stop annexations under the present Ohio law. Cities, on the other hand, are prohibited from annexing the land of other cities. A merger with Bellbrook could be the best course of action for preventing future annexations by Centerville, Kettering, Beavercreek and Xenia. It is estimated that Sugarcreek could eventually loose more than $1 million per year in tax revenues due to Centerville’s annexation of the Dille property last year. I don’t know anybody who thinks we should study the possibility of merging with any of the large cities that surround us and dividing us between two or more cities makes even less sense. Sugarcreek and Bellbrook have a proud, shared history that dates back almost 200 years. We also share combined school and park districts. Anything that hurts the township also hurts the city and vic versa. We must find a way to preserve our sense community and slow our increasing property tax rates over time.