By Erica Solvig
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON TWP. - It's a battle over identity and it's been going on for months.

On Wednesday, the township trustees wouldn't budge. They maintain they will not allow another sign outside of South Lebanon Elementary without "Hamilton Township" on it.

Kings Local School District wants to put another sign outside the elementary school, which is inside the township, because drivers on Ohio 48 cannot see the brick sign at the school's entrance on Ridgeview Lane.

The township's zoning board approved the second sign in October, but the trustees last month added one condition: The township's name must be on the sign, in about 5-inch letters. Kings School Board Vice President Konrad Kircher, joined by Superintendent David Query and Business Manager Bob Grigsby, appealed to the trustees Wednesday, but failed to change their minds.

"I think you're putting the best interest of the trustees ahead of the best interests of the community," Mr. Kircher said. "The best interests of the community is to have a sign out there to communicate to the parents of our kids and to the community."

Kings officials do not want the township's name on the sign because the district is "neutral," Mr. Kircher said. The district's other schools do not have the schools' location on them, he added.

Hamilton is one of three southern Warren County townships that the Kings district is part of.

But the three trustees maintained that Ohio 48 is a main entryway into the township, and they want to identify the community.

"Do you know how many people you're offending by putting South Lebanon Elementary on a sign in Hamilton Township?" Trustee Becky Ehling said. "You're not in South Lebanon. You're not in Maineville. You're not in Lebanon. You're in Hamilton Township, and we're asking you to recognize that."

She later added that if the school had a different name, their decision would be the same because "for a while" the trustees have asked any new signs in the area to state Hamilton Township. The school's name was chosen because it replaced a school built in 1900.

The trustees also expressed concern about annexation attempts by South Lebanon. The village and township reached a deal in March in which South Lebanon annexed about 45 of an originally proposed 267 acres, but kept the elementary school and several businesses in Hamilton Township.

"You're holding our sign hostage," Mr. Kircher said during Wednesday's township meeting. "We feel that puts us in between two governments. We don't have a dog in that fight."

Kings officials will discuss their next step at Tuesday's board meeting.

E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com