Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

I read Mike Maurer's article on the ''settlement'' between Pickerington and the BIA with interest. Apparently ''vote 4 change'' means vote somewhere else if you want change. Pickerington will allow the BIA to control development now and for years to come, just like the previous administration did. What was notably missing from the article, as well as the minds of Pickerington City Council, is the impact all this residential development will have on the PLSD.

The PLSD has a 25-member Facilities Committee that is looking at growth and making recommendations for buildings for the next ten years. Did they know about this settlement? My understanding is that they will be coming back with a $50 million bond proposal to build three new schools. That's gonna hurt. Will it even pass? If not, what will happen to our kids?

Where are our leaders? We voted for the candidates who were running on a slate card because we wanted change. The residential growth in the area is killing us! Did Pickerington City Council even let the PLSD School Board know about this ''settlement''? Didn't some of them campaign together and support each other? Where was the consideration for all the people who will be footing the bill for this rampant future growth? Why will the BIA be able to sit in on committees and negotiations and not members of the PLSD School Board? Will the BIA care when our taxes are so high we will have to move? I doubt it.

So the question is - what were they thinking? I have also heard that although the approval of the settlement has passed the first reading, it will eventually fail. So did we elect spineless idiots who don't keep their word to anyone? Where are the leaders?

David, Heidi and Ted - you made promises to us. It's time to keep your word. Mitch and Brian - we expect better from you. This, along with the Diley Road widening fiasco, doesn't bode well for the next election.

Here's a hint - the people elected you. The people can fire you. We're all very disappointed in your willingness to bend over for the BIA. We could have had that with Big Lou!

By Disappointed Voter

Too Much Coffee!!

My, my has some one got a bee under her bonnet?

First this is a LAW SUIT settlement. Only the members of the Council and the Mayor are privileged to be in these executive sessions and other meetings that fall under the broad heading of client attorney privileges. This would never be appropriate to have members of the school board present.

Then this disappointed voter is already calling the defeat of the next bond levy and she is looking to find someone to blame the defeat on and she apparently has picked the Pickerington City Council. Please put down the Starbucks and go to the top of the page and you will find that this is an editorial that Mike Maurer wrote. Do you think he has been in on any of the ?“privileged?” meetings that the Council and Mayor have been in on? If he such a good former attorney then why is he writing for a two bit weekly newspaper?

Now Ms. Rant since we are asking questions why didn?’t the PLSD invite someone from the Pickerington City Council to sit in on your 25 member Facilities Committee? I am sure they could provide some insight into what is happening with the BIA LAW SUIT.

Now Mr. Maurer reports on a half of a paragraph in the settlement article and ignores the rest about future committees that ?“might?” be formed and you are already complaining that the PLSD didn?’t get an invitation. Please before going off like Mike Maurer, read the city charter. You must be an elector to sit on any of the current council committees. Oh, I forgot that doesn?’t allow for any members of the Pickerington school board to sit on any of our ?“voting?” committees because NONE are electors of the city. So the BIA and the members of the Pickerington school board will not be on any committees except maybe advisory type committees. Put your Starbucks down and read carefully. The BIA doesn?’t have any more rights with this LAW SUIT settlement than they do right now and that is all citizens or visitors can attend open meetings at City Hall and they can ask questions. They will not be in on strategy sessions with the council or mayor nor will they be in any Executive sessions.

Can the Pickerington School Board say the same thing about the public attending their board meetings? Wasn?’t the problem with the most recent levy dealing with a closed meeting last July and you voted on one of the steps in putting the bond issue on the ballot during a work sessions? Didn?’t the board excluded the teachers and they got there nose in a knot? So we have employees directing the boss man that should go over great with the voters.


I suspect that the Pickerington City Council is working through a number of issues that they inherited. If we can put any weight on what Terry Dunlap is saying we will find a number of agreements have already been signed between the township and the city and a JEDD may be ready this year. Before going back up to the mocha latt?© machine please consider what a future cooperation agreement will mean in a improved tax base for the community? Please also remember that Pickerington must get a favorable decision from Judge Conner not Mike Maurer or they risk paying millions.


By Abstainer

Maybe you need a Cup of Joe ?

The July meeting you refer to was not closed - members of the press did not attend. The vote that took place at that meeting was not to put it on the ballot - it was a ''how much'' question. The work sessions you also discuss are open to the public - whether the public chooses to attend is another matter.

Funny thing is I hear the $50M from the committee is about the same as the first ''how much'' request we were so appalled about from the BOE - the committee has City Residents on it as well as members of the township & Columbus. I didn't recognize all the names but I do know a couple are retired, some have kids, one is single, some work, some don't - again - these meetings are public. There was a letter in the paper encouraging people to attend - if that's not convenient - why don't you call & offer your house as the next meeting place - that way you won't even need to leave your computer.

Vince Utterback is a City Resident & treasurer of the PLSD & the secretary to the BOE - he is able to represent the school district in any manner if the City has need of a representative. If that's such an issue - November is coming - maybe there will be some City residents interested in serving their community on the BOE - I think there are three seats open this go round.

By Facts please

Lied to reporter

I believe the reason the vote at the secret meeting was reported was the the reporter you are now quoting from was the reporter you all lied to about not going to take a vote. SWEET HEART ANY VOTE DURING A WORK SESSION IN NOT ALLOWED. Gail should have known that. You should have know that by now.