Saturday, February 06, 1999
Mason annexation still sought
Schools cool to arguments by Deerfield
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP — Mason Board of Education is standing firm on its decision to seek annexation of 100 acres into Mason.
Deerfield Township trustees were planning to use a five-week delay in the annexation process to meet with school leaders in hopes of changing their minds. Warren County commissioners postponed the annexation at a public hearing on Jan. 12 after discovering an error in the legal advertisement for the annexation.
Commissioners rescheduled the public hearing for March 2 at 2 p.m.
“This delay gives us the opportunity to have more discussion with the school board,” Trustee President Tom Raga said. “The key is for the school board to want to have more discussions with us.”
But the two sides have yet to meet. Mr. Raga said Thursday that he is hoping to contact newly elected board president Russ Carter within days.
Mr. Carter said he is willing to entertain discussions with the township, but indicated school leaders aren't likely to be swayed.
“Our plan is the same today as it was before,” he said. “I don't know of anything new that the township can bring to the table that would change our minds.”
The Mason Board of Education is seeking annexation of land it owns on Mason-Montgomery Road into Mason. 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. It plans to build a school there in a couple of years. Board members say Mason can provide utility service to the property quicker than the township.
Township leaders are opposing the annexation because of the timing. They have even threatened to file a lawsuit.
“There is nothing that the board is gaining by annexing to the city from the town ship,” Trustee Larry Backus said. “I think we have to question what is really behind their decision. So far they haven't given us an acceptable answer for why they are pursuing this.”
Trustees have claimed that political pressures from Mason influenced the board to seek annexation of the property. School leaders have disputed those claims.
“This whole idea that this is some political move only
plays into the township's hand that there is some master plan to rob Deerfield of all its land,” Mr. Carter said. “That's just not so. We made what we thought was the best decision for the district.”
While both sides have tried to avoid the pitched emotions and rhetoric that have marked Mason-Deerfield annexation battles, they acknowledged that future relations could be strained by this latest confrontation.
“In the future, this could play a serious factor in whether we would be willing to help the school board locate more land in the township,” Mr. Backus said. “If they plan to annex every piece of property they buy into Mason, I think our residents should really question whether they want to sell them their land.”
The district plans to buy the 50-acre Hosea farm on Mason Road, which is surrounded on all four sides by the city of Mason. It too will be annexed to the city in the future.
Mr. Carter said while he hopes to maintain good relations with Deerfield Township, he is not overly concerned about trustees not helping in the future.
“The township has never really played a role in helping us secure the land in the first place,” he said.
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