County commissioners have approved Proctorville’s request to annex property in Union Township west of the village.

Friday, December 10, 1999

County commissioners have approved Proctorville’s request to annex property in Union Township west of the village.

The board gave its nod Thursday to a village council resolution that states the annexed area will receive the same services – police, fire and water if applied for – as other parts of the village.

Commissioner George Patterson cast the sole dissenting vote, siding with township trustee concerns about loss of tax revenue and duplication of services.

"The reasons it’s to be annexed is police and fire protection, services that are being received now from the same fire department and from the sheriff’s department," Patterson said.

"In my opinion, the Union Township trustees opposed it on numerous occasions and, with all due respect to my fellow commissioners, that’s why I oppose this," he said.

Commission president Bruce Trent, who voted in favor of the annexation, along with commissioner Paul Herrell, said he voted for village growth.

"The corporation limits have not grown since probably the 1960s and it’s a small revenue for the township to lose," Trent said, adding that faster access to police protection is an important factor to businesses.

"The overall positive impact for village residents and the property owners is why I cast my vote in favor," he said.

The commission’s approval is the next to last step in the annexation process, Proctorville Mayor Jim Buchanan said.

Council must accept what the commission agreed to when the council meets next, which will make the annexation final, according to the Ohio Revised Code, Buchanan said.

"It will help us grow some and gives us an opportunity to furnish them with police and fire protection and other services," he said. "That’s something we were already doing for them, but it was just a matter of getting them in the village."

The annexation process began this spring when property owners requested annexation of land west of the village’s current corporation limits and bounded by Ohio 7 and the Ohio River in order to gain village services and lower fire insurance rates, they said.

The land included sites of the BP Oil Co., McDonald’s, Kroger’s, a vacant tract of land and nine additional acres west of the 31st Street Bridge.

Village officials favored the idea, despite contentions by Union Township trustees that the move would reduce township operating revenue. The matter then moved to the commission for public hearings.

The annexation does not include Ohio 7, meaning the village limit remains where it is on the roadway and the Ohio Highway Patrol retains jurisdiction up to that point, Trent said.

Also Thursday, commissioners:

– Approved the county’s portion, $957,000, of the Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Service year 2000 budget. They also agreed to a $219,000 budget addition for the new Aid ambulance station, expected to open in May. That budget amount will be pro-rated, depending on when the station opens.