By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA — A resolution in support of the Ashtabula Area City School Board’s request for the annexation of Wade Avenue failed at Monday night’s City Council meeting.
The vote was 3-3, with ‘no’ votes cast by Vice President Betty Kist and council members Joseph Rose and Ericka Severino.
Wade Avenue is where the school district plans to build five campus-style elementary schools. The early site work starts this week, school officials said Monday.
Council President Rodger Altier passionately spoke for about 10 minutes asking his fellow council members to vote ‘yes’ to annexation. He challenged them to put aside negative feelings about losing neighborhood schools and move forward for the sake of the city.
Altier reminded council of the income tax dollars the schools will bring into the city, as well as the additional property local land developer Ron Kister has agreed to throw into the deal.
“We have an opportunity here ... there are not many opportunities where somebody says, ‘Take us into your city,’” he said. “It can’t be anything but good for the city.”
Altier said if council rejects this annexation opportunity, “it will be in line with the councils who let the sewers go (out of the city) and brought urban renewal to Main Avenue.”
Council members Jim Trisket and Julie Lattimer supported Altier’s views, voting for the school board’s request for annexation.
“I think we should do it now so we don’t miss out on a penny of tax dollars,” Lattimer said.
Trisket said he talked with the county commissioners and there are funds approved for Wade Avenue improvements.
Kist moved to delay the vote until newly appointed Ward 2 Councilman August Pugliese is seated at September meeting.
Council squashed her idea before the annexation motion failed 3-3.
Altier moved on with the next agenda item without further comment.
School Board President Janine Trebuchon-Wertz, who is a city resident, said she is very sad council isn’t responsible enough to see what the city will be missing.
“But as school board president, it doesn’t affect our campus,” she said. “We fulfilled our promise to apply for annexation, but we can’t tell the city council how to do their job just like we wouldn’t want them to tell us how to do our job.”
