To the editor:

“Are there other deed restrictions in similar manner elsewhere in the township and where are they?” That question was asked by Barb Fink at the July 5, 2023 meeting of the Salem City council-of-the-whole meeting, presided by councilman Andrew Null, who responded, “We are not here to discuss that.”

This meeting of October 10, 2023 was presided by councilman Jake Gano who opened the meeting in this manner: “The concern is if we take exception for what’s going on with the homes at Hampton Place and Beechwood, is that there have been dozens of other properties that I’ve been informed of that had the same deed restriction and had to annex already. Which makes it a very difficult question as to why they had to annex, and this neighborhood does not,” said Gano.

Let’s start with Bruce Herron who brought the condominium idea to Perry Township and Pembrooke. The time was the early 1970s, and Salem wanted utility customers and encouraged him to run water and sewer lines (plus hydrants) to his development in Perry Township. Why? Because they wanted more high-paying customers and township residents were now required to pay 150% premium price over the Salem citizen price of 100%. More on this rate later.

Then, Salem City wanted to have a college whereby they spent Salem taxpayers money outside the city limits and extended the water and sewer lines along SR 45 southward way into Salem Township and the Kent State Branch was formed. From there, those utilities traveled to the Salmar Drive development and other developments like Fox Den but it did not stop there with developments. Law required that abutting/adjacent homes to those utilities along a state route, had to connect to those services, if they were within a certain distance from the utilities. So were there annexation agreements with all those connections? No.

There were no annexation agreements on the housing development on Prospect Street in Perry Township; nor Fox Den; nor the Highland Creek; nor Pidgeon Road; Depot Road; nor Goshen Road; nor Springdale Street; etc. etc. In retrospect, Mr. Gano, how can you not make it a very difficult question as to why Hampton Place has to annex, when those aforesaid neighborhoods did not? You have utilities in Perry Township, Salem Township, Green Township, and even several places in Mahoning County and other communities to the north and east and south outside of the Salem City limits. Why did Salem City ignore annexations at all those viable locations?

I’ll answer that for you — because it was in the “sell water”‘ frame of mind at the time. You see, there’s an inconsistency that’s been ongoing with Salem City for a long time. In the beginning it was very transparent for the township to connect with Salem utilities because Salem City welcomed customers to help their problematic utilities division financially and it was in bad shape when I started working there. As things got better, then Salem City tightened its rules but was still transparent about it to all. Then came the signing of a paper when applying for utilities that should the requester be next to Salem City land, that they would agree to annex. You see how much transparency there was back in time — until the means to acquire annexable land ceased, and with all that Salem City had provided to non-citizens for years, as I have shown, had caused the chances of abutting city lands to all but dry up for the City of Salem and prevent further annexing.

Yes, those abutting lands. And so this is where the transparency left and the city sought other means to acquire, be they devious, covert, or not, and hence the so-called “deed description” scheme was devised. Salem City council indeed has a grave problem, in fact, I can produce another that has been in operation for years starting about when I began working there. And so this brings us to a point to which I shall cease discussing for obvious reasons again. I have those answers and final presentation, but will let the qualified personnel respond at the proper time and place if that transpires.

Here’s an answer for you: Mayor Baronzzi-Dickey has stated that Salem City has provided Perry Township with the utilities and that it’s time to pay the piper. A falsehood. The developer buys the land, plots and plans it with water, sewerage connections, fire hydrants, paved roads, and drainage. That’s all his investment. He sells the lot to a prospective homeowner, who pays for his fair share of those investment lots. In essence it’s the Hampton Place home owners who paid for those installments, mayor — not the city.

STEPHEN NAVOYOSKY,

Salem