3 Dakins Chapel Road property owners mull annexation into Village of Sabina

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SABINA — The three property owners whose land would be incorporated into town if a suggested annexation takes place have agreed to think about the idea, the mayor said Thursday.

However during the same session of village council, the council’s Planning Committee stated it doesn’t recommend pursuing annexation at this time because of “hidden costs.”

A strip of land on the north side of Dakins Chapel Road already is within village limits, and the suggestion is to add the land on the south side as well.

Planning & Records Committee Chairperson Mike Walls said the committee had learned there is a $100 deposit fee to start the annexation process, with more costs associated with hearings, County Recorder fees and a possible resurvey.

Additionally, if the land and the adjacent stretch of road were annexed, the Village of Sabina would become responsible for the roadway’s maintenance and snow removal, said Walls.

The mayor has previously indicated he is open to an annexation, saying he’d be all for it if some nice housing development were to occur on the land.

Sabina Village Councilman Bill Lewis brought up the annexation prospect Aug. 10, explaining that residents along the road are very concerned about the speed of vehicles. The town presently has no control over the speed limit there, which is 55 mph.

Hawk said the three property owners agreed to meet with him again after giving the proposal further thought.

Sabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell reported on finances from the recently completed swimming season at the Sabina Municipal Pool. As of Thursday, the pool had posted a $6,132 loss for the 2017 season.

That red number is expected to get smaller, but not disappear, when the village receives money that was raised for the public pool in a Pennant Molding fundraiser.

Cornell did a breakdown on the pool’s 2017 budget picture. It reflects a profit of almost $3,000 from concessions and a $2,788 reduction in wages, both budgetary pluses.

But hurting the profit/loss column were capital repairs that were $5,000 higher than the prior year, and the cost of chemicals going up $2,700 compared to the year before. The fiscal officer thinks the price of chlorine was about 20 cents per gallon higher than the Village was charged the previous summer.

Hawk said he plans to do a very thorough study of the pool revenue and expenditure numbers, looking for ways to improve them next year.

Cornell suggested a pool coordinator could help oversee things in an operation largely run and staffed by youth.

On another matter, Hawk assigned a study of Grand Avenue storm sewer issues to the Development Committee, noting he normally would give it to the Infrastructure Committee but its chairman is ill.

The Development Committee, chaired by Jim Mongold, will look at what options are available to enhance stormwater drainage along Grand Avenue.

After the mayor said Lewis, who is chairman of the FEMA Flood Zone Relief Committee, had gone outside that committee’s charge by looking at possible ways to fund storm sewer improvements, Lewis replied he mentioned his committee’s attention to storm sewers to the mayor previously.

Lewis denied he had usurped authority and said he doesn’t take kindly to the mayor’s statement he went beyond the parameters of the FEMA Flood Zone Relief Committee.

Lewis also said giving the task to the Development Committee at this point is “inappropriate.”

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.

Sabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell gave a financial report on the Sabina Municipal Pool’s summer 2017 season.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/09/web1_n_cornell_file_p_f.jpgSabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell gave a financial report on the Sabina Municipal Pool’s summer 2017 season. News Journal file photos

Sabina Mayor Dean Hawk said three Sabina-area property owners agreed to meet with him again after they give an annexation proposal further thought.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/09/web1_hawk_dean_f.jpgSabina Mayor Dean Hawk said three Sabina-area property owners agreed to meet with him again after they give an annexation proposal further thought. News Journal file photos

By Gary Huffenberger

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