County files lawsuit against Ashtabula officials. Temporary restraining order to prevent termination of agreement filed
DORIS COOK Star Beacon
Saybrook Township vows to fight back. Trustees say termination of agreement only a smoke screen
By STACY MILLBERG
Staff Writer
smillberg@starbeacon.com
SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP - - The city's recent termination of the county regional sewer pact is sending trustees into a tailspin, and they're prepared to fight back.
The city provides sewer service to a little more than half of the township, and although City Solicitor Tom Simon said the termination has nothing to do with annexation, trustees tend to disagree.
"It's no secret the city wants to annex us," said Peggy Carlo, trustee. "We don't have 'dummy' written all over our foreheads. It's all about annexation."
City officials are relying on the Bakies v. Perrysburg lawsuit case in an attempt to gain annexation powers over Ashtabula Township, Saybrook Township and Plymouth Township, which utilize the city's sewer services.
"The city now thinks this is a cover-all to (annex) us," Carlo said. "We're not going to let this fly by."
Carlo said the county is exploring several options and has been representing the township in good faith for about a year since talks began.
"All options are on the table," she said. "This is not something we're going to roll over on. We know the township residents don't want to be annexed into the city, and neither do we."
Carlo said the next step will be looking over how the city plans to proceed with annexation. Township officials have tried in the past to work with the city in terms of forming a joint economic development district, but Carlo said the idea has fallen on deaf ears.
"We are willing to work with the city and hope there is going to be a reasonable solution," she said. "We're not opposed to and have asked (County Prosecutor Thomas) Sartini to look into building another wastewater plant. We can't do it on our own. It has to be through the county."
Norm Jepson, trustee, said a lot of people don't understand the ramifications of this and, eventually, the township offices are going to be flooded with people wanting to know what officials are doing about the situation.
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