Trending
WARREN -- A hearing before the Trumbull County commissioners regarding the potential annexation of more than 31 acres of Howland and Vienna townships by the city of Niles was delayed again, as attorneys for the involved parties said they needed more time to work on a potential deal.
The annexation hearing, which began July 17, was continued to Monday as the parties' attorneys requested additional time to work on an agreement on which the commissioners would not have needed to vote.
Nils Peter Johnson, the landowners' attorney, began the meeting by assuring all in attendance that progress had been made since the July meeting. Despite any advancements in negotiations, Johnson told the commissioners more time was needed for the parties to reach an agreement.
"Simply put, the attorneys for the parties here … have met weekly for the last month and weekly for the last several months to advance those discussions about addressing future annexation petitions," Johnson said. "We need a little bit more time."
Despite the lack of an agreement, Johnson said the discussions have been productive, and the parties have produced a draft agreement that would speak to future annexations, potentially involving the local townships and the city.
"This is a new development," Johnson said. "Last time that we were here, we did not have a paper draft. This is something new; this is momentum that I think we can all build on."
Johnson said the attorneys were discussing the draft over the phone as recently as Sunday evening, but the paper draft was not finalized. Johnson said the parties were planning to meet at a different location Monday after the meeting to discuss the agreement.
Niles Law Director Phil Zuzolo said the parties were as close as they have ever been in terms of reaching an agreement.
Commissioner Niki Frenchko objected to the attorneys' request. She said they did not need the additional weeks.
"There was plenty of time," Frenchko said. "This has been going on for over a year. … If there's something going on with this agreement that it's taking this long, I'm not sure that it's being done in good faith."
Frenchko made several motions to reject the continuance. All of Frenchko's motions died because of a lack of a second.
PUBLIC HEARING
Unlike at the initial meeting in July, individuals in the audience were granted the opportunity Monday to address the board and the attorneys.
Howland resident Bruce Gump said the annexation issue was about more than just his home township. In Gump's view, the annexation effort, and potential future situations, could be detrimental to the entire county.
"If you approve this, you are no friend of the townships, and you're really no friend of the county," Gump said. "It puts everybody in danger. They all become vulnerable to the same kind of effort by other municipalities."
Several residents who live in Howland expressed concern that if their property were eventually annexed into Niles, they would receive lower quality services from the city than what they receive through the township.
While Howland and Vienna township residents were concerned about the financial implications of being potentially annexed into the city, Geo Kuriatnyk, a Niles resident and nonparty candidate for mayor, argued they did not need to fear.
"It's not a cash grab," Kuriatnyk said. "A cash grab is when we need the money. We've got $20 million sitting in the bank.
"We don't need your money. … I feel for you people. I really do. But don't come up here and say, 'the corrupt town of Niles,' I'm not corrupt."
Kuriatnyk agreed with Frenchko that regardless of the result, he believes the attorneys should have been able to finish the hearing Monday.
COMMISSIONERS' VIEW
Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa suggested a way to provide the attorneys more time to work on a deal while expediting the process.
The commissioners could have heard testimony from all parties involved and then taken the issue under advisement. If that had been the case, the commissioners would have had 30 days to reach a decision.
Cantalamessa said in that case, the attorneys would have 30 days to work on their agreement before the ultimate decision. Cantalamessa said it would "put the attorney's feet to the fire."
The commissioners' attorney, Robert Burkey, advised against Cantalamessa's plan.
"My advice to the commissioners is that we don't want to come back unless there is an agreement made," Burkey said.
For the agreement to be made, it would have to be approved at public meetings in Vienna, Howland and Niles.
Ultimately, the attorneys said they needed another continuance to have enough time to work on the potential agreement.
The hearing is set to reconvene at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 5.