MORGANTOWN — For the second time in less than three years the town of Granville has had annexation plans nixed by the Monongalia County Commission.
The commission voted 2-1 to deny Granville’s latest effort, which was first submitted last March and has spent the last year being tweaked and adjusted in preparation for an eventual vote, which came Wednesday.
A motion by Commissioner Sean Sikora to approve the annexation plan, with conditions, died for a lack of a second.
A motion by Commissioner Tom Bloom to deny the plan passed 2-1, with Sikora voting in the minority.
Commission President Ed Hawkins said a written response providing the reasoning for the denial will be issued in the next week.
Both Hawkins and Bloom said there were multiple factors behind their votes to deny, but they didn’t care to elaborate.
“It will be easier when you see our full written statement,” Hawkins said. “I think the public will understand the reason for the decision we chose to make.”
The annexation by minor boundary adjustment would have included County Route 19 from the Star City Bridge to 507 Scotts Run Road (Granville Fire Department Station 2), Lady Bug Lane, Scotts Run Road from the municipal line to Lady Bug Lane and Chaplin Road from Westover’s municipal boundary to the intersection of CR 19.
The request is similar to annexation efforts denied by the commission in August 2017. However, unlike the previous effort, this annexation would have included no residential or business properties.
In his original motion to approve the request, Sikora laid out some conditions — namely that Granville provide two written agreements with the DOH — the first verifying the town would not collect B&O taxes on road projects on the annexed roads, and the second spelling out who would handle road maintenance on the annexed roads.
Third, Sikora wanted documentation that the annexation would not impact the business of Main Sanitation, who’s owner, Kenny Jackson, has expressed fear that he could eventually be squeezed out of existing routes by Granville’s municipal service.
While this request sat before the commission, a bill was signed into law that substantially alters the minor boundary adjustment process by requiring the consent of any resident or business to be taken in.
Sikora pointed out that the only freeholders with standing in Granville’s latest effort were the Granville Volunteer Fire Department and the DOH — both of whom had signed off on the plan.
“So this same application, if it came back as a annexation by petition, I don’t see how we could deny it,” Sikora said.
In other county news:
Bloom said there will be a food giveaway from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday at South Middle School. Recipients must stay in their vehicles and only one box will be given per car.
Hawkins explained that the annual North Central FFA Ham, Bacon and Egg Sale is still happening — online — at 6 p.m. on April 23. Interested parties can pre bid at joerpyleauctions.com.
