Two decisions by the Licking County Commissioners could play a central role in the upcoming general election for two of the three seats on the board of commissioners.
One was an Oct. 6, 2022, agreement between the county and Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District to greatly expand the utility’s service area. Township trustees were upset they were not consulted before the deal was announced.
The other was a decision not to provide planners and funds for townships to begin preparing for the Intel-related growth . Township trustees vented their frustrations at an April 2022 meeting with Scott Ryan, a governor’s liaison and former state representative.
Incumbent Republican Commissioners Tim Bubb and Duane Flowers seek to continue their long tenures in office. Bubb, in office since 2004, faces Democrat Jim Snedden, who lost his four previous commissioner races. Flowers, a commissioner since 2013, faces Granville Township Trustee Bryn Bird, a Democrat in her second term as trustee.
Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District expansion rollout criticized
The deal with the Southwest Licking utility amended a 2010 agreement between it and the commissioners, expanding the utility's service area for the Ohio 161 corridor from 8,769 acres to 18,223 acres. The expanded area includes 11,702 acres in Jersey Township, 3,439 in St. Albans Township and 3,041 acres in Monroe Township.
Monroe Township Trustee Troy Hendren said the commissioners "stabbed them in the back," because they were publicly talking about working cooperatively, while privately negotiating the new deal.
Bird, 40, said she decided to run because comprehensive planning and leadership is needed at the county level. She does not take issue with the agreement with Southwest Licking but rather with what she called a lack of communication before the announcement.
"Because of the decision made, the commissioners set up a conflict between the communities, and that could have been mitigated before it happened," Bird said. "I would have talked to townships first. The townships were only made aware of it after the decision. The part I don’t agree with is they did not discuss it with local jurisdictions.”
Flowers, 72, said commissioners had to act quickly, as New Albany used Columbus water and sewer to expand its municipal boundaries.
“We just had Intel land on us, and Columbus water and sewer was coming in,” Flowers said. “If we’re going to stop Columbus water and sewer, someone is going to have to take jurisdiction in that area.
“Johnstown wasn’t willing at that time to cooperate with the county to extend water. It wasn’t like it was just a knee-jerk reaction. I still feel we put a block to Columbus water and sewer there.”
Bubb, 71, said he does not regret the decision, but said "possibly" the commissioners should have first communicated with township trustees.
“It was a good decision," Bubb said. "No regrets. Provide service to an area unserved. They’re capable and doing a good job. We supported their growth because they're the only regional provider out there providing services. I don’t back away from that at all.”
Snedden, 77, said, "Anytime anybody in the commissioners' position overlooks these people in these outlying areas and don’t discuss it with them, are they trying to hide something?”
Licking County won't help townships with Intel-related growth strategies
Township trustees were also upset when they did not receive the planning assistance they expected following the Intel announcement. Initially, Intel and state officials were the targets of local officials' wrath, but that shifted to the commissioners and the planning commission.
Bird spoke at the meeting with Ryan, the governor's liaison, at Jersey Baptist Church, saying the township needs help from the county prosecutor's office, county planning department and county soil and water district. She said the county's response had been that money for those things will come in the next five years.
"We need funding now," Bird said in the meeting. "We're all individually hiring planners, hiring legal. Everybody's hiring lawyers, and we have a county prosecutor's office. There has to be some county planning. Comprehensive planning is something all the townships need. We shouldn’t all just be working in silos.”
Former Licking County Planning Director Chris Harkness said the county planning department had four planners, with one open position, and could not satisfy all the township demands.
Bird said townships don’t have the funds to hire consultants and planners, but the county could step up and assist.
“The state has money and ways to support Licking County, but not if we don’t have a plan," Bird said. "We’re lacking a strong countywide plan.”
Flowers said he has always been proactive with planning, whether it was replacing deficient bridges, water and sewer, land use or the Buckeye Lake economy. He wants to merge a land-use study with studies on countywide water and sewer, transportation, flood models and comprehensive plans and zoning.
“A water and sewer study — I started pushing that in 2016, way before Intel,” Flowers said. “Water quality is very important to me. To me, that’s one study that needed to be done.
“I don’t think she’s ever been to a planning commission meeting. Maybe one or two. So, I don’t know if she knows what we’re working on.”
Flowers said he recently visited a Samsung computer chip plant under construction near Austin, Texas, and came away impressed with Licking County’s approach.
“I think we’re so far ahead of what they’re doing down there, they need to come up here and see what we’re doing,” Flowers said.
Bubb said the county will combine the Framework study, a 15-jurisdiction, public-private effort to plan for Intel, with studies on water and sewer, transportation and transit.
“We’re doing as much as we can with the resources we’ve got,” Bubb said. “Intel came very quickly. You can’t just snap your fingers and move ahead at light speed. I’m pleased where we’re at.”
Snedden said, "The planners are the voters and the taxpayers. They should give their input to the trustees. The power still lies with the people.”
Bird said the county should have hired a planning director long ago. Harkness left in February.
“The commissioners did it as an internal search,” Bird said. “The planning director is really an important position. The interim is one of the county planners. The planning office is so backed up.”
Flowers said, “I’m hoping that’s taken care of in the next couple weeks. I hope they got one that understands Licking County.”
The search is down to two or three finalists in the second round of taking applications, Bubb said.
“The first round, we didn’t see a candidate we liked," Bubb said. "It’s a tight job market now and we’re not going to settle. We employed a recruiting firm and they brought in about 10 people.”
Snedden said he's concerned about the potential effects of Intel's semiconductor factories, the rise of homelessness, the increasing cost of Licking County property taxes and the state of the county's infrastructure. He has never held public office, was owner and operator of a body shop and a cleaning service and served in U.S. Navy for four years.
Flowers, a custom homebuilder for 50 years and Hanover mayor from 2000 to 2012, believes there are four main issues impacting Licking County: planning, housing, roads and workforce.
Bubb, who has also been Newark city treasurer and Licking County Library board president, also believes it’s important to implement a backup 911 dispatching and call center and expand the bus routes in Licking County while developing cross-county connections.
Bird, who co-owns Bird’s Haven Farm, said residents ask her about planning, natural resources and open spaces, and how the county can benefit from the growth. She participated in the Framework study, which included resident responses that they wanted schools protected and their sense of place maintained.
kmallett@newarkadvocate.com
740-973-4539
Twitter: @kmallett1958
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Planning for Intel development plays key role in two Licking County commissioner races
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