By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MONROE - Angry residents who live in both Monroe and Liberty Township say they still want to withdraw from the city - even after City Council dropped plans to move the Liberty residents into nearby Lemon Township.

"We're going ahead with it so they can't mess with us any more," said Tom Doty, a resident of the Lee Meadows/Countryside Estates area of the township. "It's a trust issue. We don't trust anyone up there (in city hall)."

Doty and the 300 homeowners in the area, on the southern edge of the city, learned in early February that City Council planned to transfer the subdivision into tiny Lemon township.

The city had been asked to make the switch by Seasongood & Mayer, the Cincinnati-based finance company which represents the city and township, to make it easier for some overlapping Butler County governments to borrow money.

However, council was told Tuesday that Seasongood & Mayer had incorrectly calculated the debts for Liberty Township and Monroe, and that the township transfer was not needed.

Doty said three dozen residents have prepared petitions to circulate in the area requesting that the territory secede from Monroe.

"We are still open to discussing any questions these people have," said City Manager Bill Brock. "A lot of it revolved around the school district, which they created as an issue. We have no control over the school district issue, nor do we wish to change the school district they are in."

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com