BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — A tug of war is erupting over a piece of land in Deerfield Township, and the Mason Board of Education appears to be caught in the middle.
Faced with the possibility of losing more land to Mason through annexation, township trustees made a last-ditch effort Tuesday to halt the process. The Mason school board wants the city to annex 97 acres the board owns on Mason-Montgomery Road.
The property, formerly known as the Batsche Farm, is on the east side of Mason-Montgomery and north of Bethany Road. The district bought the land in April 1997 for $1.62 million.
A disgruntled but composed group of trustees entered Tuesday's school board meeting to complain about being excluded from discussions on the annexation. They hoped to convince board members to delay the decision, pending further review of the matter.
“We feel the decision to annex is premature,” trustees President Larry Backus said. “We are not asking them not to do it, just don't do it now.”
School leaders told trustees they believe Mason can provide utility service to the property quicker than the township, and that they will most likely stand behind their decision.
“There was really only one reason for our decision to annex to the city and that was utilities,” said David Lenert, president of the school board. “It's strictly about sewer and water.”
Trustees argued they could provide water and sewer to the property within 12 months. The township owns a 154-acre parcel, known as the Fleckenstein Farm, that abuts the Batsche Farm to the northwest. Trustees have discussed using the land for parks.
“We are very committed to bringing water and sewer to that area,” Trustee Bill Morand said, noting the township's investment in the area. “And I feel confident that we can meet your timetable.”
Mr. Lenert said the board needed to make some quick decisions, in part because of the area's recent population surge. He said plans to build on the property may be a couple of years away, but when the time comes, school officials want the property ready.
“For us this move made very good sense,” Mr. Lenert said. “Water abuts the property; it's there. Mason already has the right of way to put sewer lines across the property that we could tap into .Ç.Ç. I just think it would be prudent to take advantage of what is already on the property.”
School leaders said the fact that the township had no target date for bringing sewers to the area weighed heavily in favor of the city. Trustees questioned the board's rationale.
“They say we don't have a definitive date for water and sewer, but they don't have a definitive date for when they are going to have the school built,” Mr. Backus said. “I would not expect them to make a move like this, well in advance of the time they needed to. To me that looks like a very political decision.”
But school officials said politics never entered into the equation.
“The school board is not involved in the battles between the city and the township,” Mr. Lenert said. “We are a school district. We are not Deerfield schools and we are not Mason schools. And we don't want to get caught in any type of bidding war between the two. This decision was based solely on our need.”
School leaders said trustees brought few new facts to the table Tuesday that would dissuade them.
“We have to go with what we know is a done deal,” said Russ Carter, vice president of the board. “We know that Mason will have the utilities in place when the time comes.
“We made a decision. And we are going to stand behind it. Now it's time to move on.”
Trustees say they have not yet decided to what level they will challenge the annexation. Warren Couny commissioners will hold a public hearing on the matter Jan. 12. The annexation must go to county commissioners for final action.
