Licking County residents to vote on merger between two communities

ALEXANDRIA, Ohio (WCMH) -- On Tuesday, voters will determine if two western Licking County communities will merge into one municipality.

Residents will get to vote on a merger between the Village of Alexandria and St. Albans Township. The idea came from a dedicated merger committee, which determined merging the two communities would offer protection against the rapid growth hitting largely rural Licking County.

In Ohio, municipalities are either cities, villages or townships. Cities and villages, like Alexandria, have the right to home rule, allowing them to pass laws to govern themselves. Some townships qualify for limited home rule, but St. Albans does not have enough residents to do so, and instead is subject to state and county authorities.

Those in favor of the merger say combining into one village would offer St. Albans control over its own land. Ohio townships have far fewer protections against land annexation, and some residents worry neighboring New Albany will go back on promises to respect community boundaries.

“While New Albany says that it is not growing beyond Mink Street, there is no guarantee
of that, and my taxes to Alexandria will be less than paying taxes to New Albany,” St. Albans resident and commission member Ann Lodder said.

Groups like Licking County Conservatives and the Jersey Township Board of Trustees are encouraging St. Albans residents to vote against the merger. They argue St. Albans is in a better fiscal spot without combining, pointing to things like Alexandria's 1% income tax, which would be adopted if they merged.

"As firm believers in the township form of government, it is clear to us that the current board of trustees in St. Albans Township has done little-to-nothing to help its township, and has allowed fear and misinformation to spur the creation of perceived 'threats' identified by the merger commission," Jersey Township trustees wrote in a formal, unanimous condemnation of the merger.

The merger commission said Jersey Township officials have "no authority, no stake and no justification" for condemning the merger. The commission, made up of an equal number of stakeholders from both municipalities in the merger, said the formal opposition was an overstep and "out of line."

The commission said annexation is a real threat, and that 6,000 acres of Jersey Township have already been annexed by New Albany. Commission members said the merger is an attempt to protect rural life and give residents more autonomy. They also noted infrastructure that would support Jersey Township is planned for land within St. Albans, which they pointed to as evidence that St. Albans needs more say over its land.

The commission said growth is approaching rapidly, and merging will protect local autonomy and preserve the rural way of life. Opponents to the merger said it will increase taxes and restrict residents. If the ballot measure does not pass Tuesday, a new citizen-led initiative cannot be reintroduced for three years.