By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA — In what may someday be known as Altier’s last stand, City Council President Rodger Altier gave the issue of annexation one last push Monday night.
Altier asked Clerk of Council LaVette Hennigan late Monday afternoon to place a resolution accepting the Ashtabula Area City School Board’s petition for the annexation of Wade Avenue on the agenda.
Wade Avenue in Saybrook Township is where the school board is building five elementary schools in a campus-style setting. The issue of annexation of a portion of Wade Avenue has come before council several times during the past few months but has failed to pass, much to Altier’s dismay.
Altier blatantly said that Monday night was his last opportunity to ask his fellow council members to pass annexation and do “what’s best for the city.” His term ends Nov. 30.
Ward 4 Councilwoman Julie Lattimer made a motion for the annexation but it lacked a second, and it died on the floor. Ward 5 Councilman James Trisket, who in the past has supported annexation, was absent from the meeting.
“Annexation is a good idea,” Altier said. “So why not? Enlighten me.”
Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Rose said he’s against annexing Wade Avenue but is for annexing all of Saybrook Township.
“The whole thing,” he said.
Altier said he feels very strongly about annexation. His feelings are so strong, he said, that it greatly upset him when Vice President Betty Kist requested a special meeting (a little more than a week ago) to vote for annexation but then changed her mind.
“We had six (council members) willing to meet,” Altier said. “Then the phone calls started rolling in (and three of council members changed their minds).”
The contention came to a head Nov. 5 when Kist filed a harassment complaint against Altier after he left a phone message declaring her position that no revote should be taken on annexation until the president-elect takes office is “a crock of (expletive).”
Altier apologized Monday night for telephoning Kist. He then listed, point by point, the “excuses” council has given in the past for not annexing Wade Avenue: for example, “it will cost the city too much.” Then, Altier threw a copy of a $500,000 estimate from John Smolen of Smolen Engineering on the floor. As Altier continued, he threw more paper on the floor: all answers to questions City Council has raised over and over again.
Ward 2 Councilman August Pugliese hollered for Altier to stop. Altier quit throwing the paper on the floor and laid the papers on his podium, instead.
“Mr. Pugliese, you were interested in annexation,” Altier said.
Pugliese said, “I still am.”
Altier then charged Kist is not interested in annexation. She has never even seen the construction site on Wade Avenue, he said.
“She said, no, she doesn’t go that way,” Altier said. “She said, ‘We don’t need that (income tax) money.’
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Kist, but you said that. We have the potential of getting $300,000 in income tax, and we’re letting it go.”
Altier suggested the city eliminate income tax all together, for everyone.
He apologized to the citizens of Ashtabula for not annexing Wade Avenue.
Pugliese said this is the first time that he can remember that an ordinance has come up three or four times.
“All this council is trying to do is to make sure that everything is in order before we do this,” Pugliese said. “That’s all.”
