Licking County bickering over Intel must end

In the now nearly three months since Intel announced it would drop $20 billion to construct microchip manufacturing plants in Jersey Township, local tensions over what that will mean for Licking County have only risen.

That was on stark display in a meeting between township trustees, county commissioners and a representative from the governor’s office this month.

Trustees were frustrated that they are getting no help in planning from the county government. County officials said they don’t have the resources to help with the planning – and that townships have rejected such planning help in the past.

We understand this is a stressful time for many officials in the county. We hope now that the grievances have been aired, our officials can come together to begin cooperatively planning for a development that could permanently alter our local landscape. Infighting will only hinder planning, allowing the New Albany Company and other developers to direct the future of the community.

We believe county commissioners need to be leading in this effort. Developers don’t care where township borders begin and end. Leaving the planning to the smallest levels of local government could lead to a patchwork of plans throughout the county.

That is not to say that our county government should dictate how development will occur in each of our townships. Instead, it is critical for township and county officials to work together to determine where growth should occur and where land should be preserved. This requires buy-in from the county government, but also from the township trustees.

Commissioner Tim Bubb noted that previous efforts by the county to lead planning for townships ended in trustees rejecting the work. We understand this had to be a frustrating undertaking, but we hope that county officials understand we are in a completely different time post Intel announcement.

Township officials have historically not liked to be told what to do, but the impending arrival of billions of dollars in investment, thousands of new workers and the potential for countless new subdivisions has changed the equation.

Township officials are now seeking the county’s help and we believe such help should be granted. Planning for such a project will take money to do it properly, and we believe spending money across the county will be more efficient than leaving each township to do it on their own. Such planning can treat Jersey Township different than Perry Township, but it needs support from each township.

As a way to ensure buy-in from the townships, it would be appropriate if they helped finance such a planning effort.

The time to act on this is now – the need is immediate. Intel and likely more developments are coming to Licking County. We must get over whatever conflicts we believe exist and come together to discuss how we want Licking County to look in a decade. If we don’t, the county will still change, we just won’t have any control over how it does.