A resolution to disband Liberty Township’s Development and Annexation Citizen Advisory Committee was quickly tabled by trustees during a special meeting Monday morning.
A resolution was approved by trustees April 17, 2017, to form the advisory committee.
“We have a group of citizens that have given up a significant amount of their time to act on the behalf of the trustees based on the original resolution,” said Committee Chairman Jerry Beigel. “It’s disappointing to us that after a period of time you are saying ‘we want to dissolve it.’ That’s very disappointing, and then to hear that the resolution is already there without getting any feedback didn’t feel right.”
Trustee Melanie Leneghan said she saw the committee as a group to address the Sawmill Parkway extension so there was consistent beneficial development for the township. The resolution to disband the committee was because of some of the topics brought up by the committee. She said that she thought some of the ideas would not be sanctioned by the board.
“When you sanction a committee, it’s on behalf of the board,” she said. “I understand there’s been quite a bit of feather ruffling over this. The resolution is here for discussion so tabling is not unusual.”
Leneghan used the bike path committee as an example.
“In fact, with the bike path committee, we could move them out of being sanctioned. They are a self-supported, independent group who has now taken on things that have nothing to do with this township,” she said. “That’s why I was kind of like, ‘let’s open this to discussion.’”
Trustee Mike Gemperline said he could see value in having the committee.
“I absolutely think we need to get together with the City of Powell and get a better handle on the commercial development down Sawmill Parkway,” he said.
However, when he attended a meeting, he said there were three topics mentioned that would increase taxes.
“That was alarming to me,” he said, but did not specify what alarmed him.
Trustee Shyra Eichhorn was unable to attend the special meeting Monday.
