Mosquitoes aren’t the only problems in the lakes.

Last week, the communities of southern Summit County united to fight the proposed expansion of the Barberton-Norton Mosquito Abatement District (MAD).

In this unprecedented event, these different cities and townships stood against a district that wants to by-pass a citizen’s vote and circumvent government officials to expand. MAD did this by gathering more than 500 signatures.

Yes, only 500 signatures were required, from tens of thousands of possible voters.
Proponents of the district claim MAD will be more effective in killing mosquitoes than the Summit County Health Department.

Opponents claim this is a district that is being forced upon them to the tune of about $650,000.

The issue is in the hands of a visiting judge, Pat Kelly, from Cuyahoga County.
Meanwhile, State Representative Stephen Dyer wants to close the loophole that allowed this district. Should an arbitrary district threaten to expand without the overwhelming request of citizens or by the elected local officials?

This state law may be all too familiar to residents of Lake Township.

It’s the same portion of the Ohio Revised Code that allowed the township trustees to form a water and sewer district. While the trustees appointed the district board, the five member board could develop expensive sewer projects and charge property owners. I remember sitting in a meeting and the board’s engineer said, “It doesn’t matter what the residents want. They have to pay for it.”

Lake residents were stuck with the tab for engineering, legal fees and the salaries of the board.

Lake citizens fought the district. Eventually the board was replaced by enough members who agreed with angry residents. The board voted to dissolve the district. Taxpayers decided to cut their losses and pay to clean up the mess of engineering and legal fees and salaries.

A local government in charge of their own water and sewer destiny sounds good in theory. But in reality, it’s expensive.

And somewhere along the line, a district to kill mosquitoes was formed for Barberton and Norton.

With the signatures of more than 1,000 people, expansion of MAD was almost a reality in southern Summit. A tax that was never voted upon or endorsed by elected representatives was almost a reality.

If Judge Kelly decides the district is within its rights, the residents in Southern Summit County will be taxed for a service they already receive through the county, and taxed for a service they didn’t actively seek.

Where did this law start? It was written more than 30 years ago by the Ohio legislature. It was designed for a small group that needed a sewer project for a development that they knew they wouldn’t get citizens’ approval. Where? In Cuyahoga County.