Beavercreek

“We’ve been able to make changes here in the township to ensure that we fulfill that promise to the voters of this community of that 10 year funding plan,” he said. “As of today, we are still on track with that funding plan.”

After the city receives the fire services financial analysis, the council will weigh options and alternatives, Jarvis said, and the idea of the city creating it’s own fire department has not been ruled out.

“We haven’t talked about that, ... but all options are on the table,” Jarvis said.

If the city decided to create its own fire department independent from the township, Zaharieff believes a property tax increase would be needed to maintain the same level of service residents receive now.

“Obviously there will be a service delivery change to both communities,” he said. “I don’t think it would be at the same level that our citizens in the community are accustomed to right now.”

Beavercreek Township Trustee Tom Kretz said he is an advocate for shared services and an operational merger between the city and township while preserving the best qualities and attributes of the unincorporated areas.

“The bottom line is there have been costly and unnecessary legal battles initiated over the annexation of Rotary Park, Phillips Park and the Fire Station 61 which cost the residents and businesses of the city, the township and the entire Greene County hundreds of thousands of dollars, and all for what ?” Kretz said . “The annexation resulted in a land grab for the city that resulted in zero real estate tax dollars from those properties.”

The city filed the petition to annex 5.1 acres of land on Dayton-Xenia Road owned by Rine Landscaping at the request of the owner following a disagreement with the township. An appellate court ruled in favor of the city on Dec. 14, more than two years after the city filed the petition to annex the land on in 2012.

The township engaged in a legal battle that should not have been fought, according to Jarvis. The city met the requirements for annexation under state law and the jurisdictions were forced to spend money on the issue after the township challenged the annexation, he said.

“If there was any money lost by the residents of the city and township, it was due to a fight the township trustees chose to start in court for which the Ohio statue says there should’ve been no grounds for. Ultimately the courts decided that.”