By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Two eastern Crawford County property owners are looking to trade in Jackson Township for the village of Crestline.
The Crawford County Commissioners held a public hearing for the annexation Thursday morning. On the docket were two properties – 1737 Ohio 61 owned by Kenneth and Kathleen Watts and 7891 Middletown Rd. owned by John Haines.
According to a report by the Crestline Advocate, Haines receives village water and agreed to annex 2.004 acres into the village of Crestline. Though the Watts family is not a village water customer, they also agreed to have their 3.71 acres, which consists of two parcels, annexed into the village.
The petition for annexation was filed with the Board of Commissioners on Dec. 29. The county engineer approved the plat, description, and list of property owners on Jan. 6.
The commissioners have 30 days to make a decision on the annexation.
The issue of annexation arose in October after former Crestline mayor Pete Dzugan requested in a letter to the Crestline council clerk that three parcels of his land, which included his business Precision Technology, Inc., be detached from the village and annexed into Jackson Township. Dzugan contended that a neighbor on Middletown Road had access to village water, but was not required to annex into the municipality. Village Administrator Marc Milliron admitted that the Middletown Road resident did have access to village water and that he made the decision to install a water line and tap.
The following village council meeting saw the Watts family and Haines agreeing to be annexed into the village limits.
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