Stop the Sloppy Annexation

As a candidate for Scioto Township Trustee, I’m committed to protecting our roads, our budgets, and our residents from sloppy annexations that create confusion and cost. Ohio law gives trustees the power to act — and I will use it.

If you’ve ever been on a two-lane road where it’s 55 mph going out of town but 35 mph coming in, you know how ridiculous it feels. Same road, two different rules. Drivers aren’t crazy — the planners were careless. Or worse, they didn’t care.

That’s what happens when a village rushes annexation and draws the boundary line right down the center of a township road. One side is village, the other is township. Different speed limits. Different jurisdictions. Endless problems.

And mismatched speed limits are only the start:

• Who plows the road — or do we only get one lane cleared?

• Who responds in an emergency?

• Who pays to maintain it?

Here’s the good news: Ohio law (ORC 709.023(E)(1)(b)) gives township trustees the right to object if a road they maintain is annexed without a written agreement.

That means townships aren’t powerless. They have a legal tool to stop sloppy annexations before they create problems for residents. But trustees have to be willing to use it.

As trustee, I will.

Because protecting our roads and keeping residents safe is not optional — it’s our duty.