Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Hearing set to see if referendum will be placed on May ballot

Mercer County Board of Elections

By William Kincaid
Mercer County Board of Election members are holding a formal hearing next week to decide whether a recently submitted notice of protest to a referendum petition in Franklin Township should be upheld.
The hearing - in which witnesses will be subpoenaed - is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Mercer County Courthouse auditorium. If board members need additional time, a decision could be rendered as late as 9 a.m. Feb. 12 in the auditorium.
The hearing relates to a petition for a township zoning referendum presented in January to board of elections members. The referendum would allow Franklin Township voters to decide whether a zoning resolution adopted in November 2009, should stand. The board, at its Feb. 23 meeting, will determine if the referendum is eligible for the May Primary ballot.
The protest states the referendum language is neither accurate nor unambiguous and would tend to mislead or confuse the average voter. It questions whether there are enough signatures on the referendum petition, and states it does not contain the number or full title of both zoning resolutions in question.
Celina attorney James Tesno, representing Mercer Development LP, which filed the protest, and St. Marys attorney Jeffrey Squire, representing petitioners in Franklin Township, met with board of election members Wednesday morning.
At the suggestion of Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Andy Hinders, board members asked Tesno and Squire to compile a witness list by noon Friday. Those on the list will be subpoenaed to attend the hearing.
Failure to attend could result in arrest, Hinders said.
"I don't anticipate that's going to be a problem," he said.
Hinders said the subpoenas will make it easier for the witnesses to take off work and hopefully ensure their presence at the hearing.
Once board members make a decision, the losing side will likely file an appeal in Mercer County Common Please Court, Hinders said.
In November, Franklin Township Trustees unanimously upheld a recommendation by the township's zoning commission for new zoning that would allow Rick Uppenkamp to put duplexes and recreational vehicles on his land between Behm Road and the Big Chickasaw Creek. Uppenkamp is involved with Mercer Development LP.
The decision was met with opposition from several residents of the township.
The zoning resolution approved in November would change an 18.8-acre parcel from R-2 medium density residential to R-3 high density residential and a 34.2-acre parcel from R-2 medium density to R-C - resort commercial.
According to trustee Tom Rose, R-3 high density zoning allows Uppenkamp to build duplexes and R-C resort commercial allows for an RV park as a conditional use.
Rose has said Uppenkamp already has an RV park on the east side of the creek. The rezoning allows additional RVs on the west side of the creek - about 600 feet away from any homes, he said.
Additional online story on this date
The death of a 59-year-old Wapakoneta woman on Friday was due to the H1N1 flu, local health officials have confirmed.
The mother and grandmother, w [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Employee of Celina shop fights through the pain
Local airbrush artist Thad Gross saw the F-150 truck in front of him on U.S. 33 near Wapakoneta as he drove home in late August on his Honda CBR 900RR sport bike, but the green Firebird that passed him caught his eye.
St. Henry
ST. HENRY - St. Henry Middle School has received designation as a "high-performing, growth-oriented" educational system for the fourth consecutive year.
Pair of Cavs officially announce college choices
COLDWATER - Eric Lefeld admitted that the thought of playing college football was a late thought in the process.
But in the last two seasons, the Coldwater defensive end picked up his game, and colleges were taking notice.
Pair of Cavs officially announce college choices
COLDWATER - The old saying goes "Good things come to those who wait."
The saying rings true with Keith Wenning.
After serving as a backup quarterback for two years, Wenning took the starting job for Coldwater this year and proceeded to rewrite the Cavaliers' record book.
NEW BREMEN - When New Bremen High School senior Justin Eilerman signed his national letter-of-intent to run cross country and track at NCAA Division II's University of Findlay, it was the logical next step to a very successful high school career.
The overwhelming theme for Chris Bihn and the Celina boys basketball team this week has been to stay focused on the task at hand.
Focus has been a
Tonight
Girls Basketball
Parkway (8-7, 1-4 MAC) at Marion Local (12-3, 6-0 MAC)
With the tournament draw this Sunday, both teams will look to shore up favorable spots in their respective sectionals.