SABINA — The Richland Township trustees have told Sabina’s mayor they “will stand behind whatever” New Sabina Industries (NSI) wants to do on the question of the factory site being annexed into the village.
Mayor Dean Hawk reported to village council Thursday about his meeting earlier that day with the trustees of the township that surrounds the town’s corporation limits.
He is planning “a friendly visit” with management at the factory, he said.
“We must remember that they must petition us to come into the village,” said Hawk. “We can only invite them.”
The mayor noted that the trustees don’t think NSI employees would want to volunteer to come into the village. If NSI were to be annexed into the village, it would mean employees there would become subject to the municipality’s 1 percent earnings tax.
Later in the council session, Sabina Village Councilman Bill Lewis responded to the thought NSI workers won’t want the town to tax them.
“Well, that’s the view from most everybody, not to be taxed. Employees out there really don’t have a say in this matter. [Rather it’s] NSI and encouragement of the township. I would hope based upon them [NSI] using all these significant [village-operated] services that we have provided to it and to the town, that they consider being an even better corporate citizen and come into our corporation limit,” said Lewis.
The councilman said he thinks before village officials ask residents to vote for either a property tax levy for police or an earnings tax increase, the officials should encourage NSI to come within Sabina’s corporation limits through annexation.
“Us working hand-in-hand together, we can make this community a greater place,” said Lewis.
At the April 28 council meeting, Lewis said the change involving NSI is needed because village revenue is “stagnating.”
Sabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell reported to council Thursday that even though it’s only May, the village has spent 70 percent of the police payroll appropriations for the calendar year.
“We’ve got to start thinking seriously about what we’re going to do to get through the whole year,” she said.
Sabina Municipal Pool news:
RG McClone, manager of the village-owned pool last year, is unable to return this summer. Hannah Anderson, who’s been a lifeguard there for about four years and was McClone’s assistant last year, has been hired to manage the public pool this year.
Hawk said the pool will be opened to the public on Memorial Day weekend.
The Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial organization selected Roger Barber as a Hometown Hero Award recipient and are making a pool donation in his honor.
While donations for the pool are coming along nicely, the preseason sale of passes is not, said Cornell. Through May 12, the sales amounted to $600. Last year in May, the sale of passes generated $4,185, she advised.
Resident Carl Anders, who’s assisting with pool preparations, said plans call for a grand opening of the pool on Friday, May 27 between 6 to 8 p.m. There will be no admission fee for those two hours.
In addition, he announced that Saturday, June 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. will be a pool party for the public, when again admission will be free of charge.
Anders said neither event will utilize money donated toward the pool.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.
