Lawyer hired for Salem annexation

By D.a. Wilkinson

Green Township officials have hired a lawyer versed in land law.

SALEM — David Slagle, the chairman of the Green Township board of trustees, made this statement: “I feel sorry for the citizens of Salem.”

Slagle spoke after the Green Township trustees voted to hire Akron lawyer Al Schrader, who is versed in land issues, to deal with a proposed annexation into Salem.

Slagle said that Salem Mayor Jerry Wolford keeps coming up with ideas for expansion but doesn’t have any money to make it a reality.

Wolford recently announced that several property owners plan to annex about 99.8 acres to the city.

About 52 undeveloped acres are in Perry Township in Columbiana County, and the remainder of the land is in Green Township in Mahoning County. The land is on the west side of U.S. Route 62 north of Salem.

Slagle said that the mayor has not said what the owners or the city plan to do with the property.

Wolford is acting as the agent for the property owners by submitting the annexation petition to the Columbiana County commissioners.

The annexation petition that was filed is officially an “expedited” petition that does not require a public hearing.

The mayor has said that the people who want their property annexed “all want to be part of the city.” Any annexed areas could get city utilities.

Wolford added that he has known Schrader and his interest in land cases for many years.

Mike Halleck, the chairman for the Perry Township trustees, said they would stay out of the pending legal fray over the proposed annexation of portions of Perry Township.

Halleck said that the Perry Township trustees were briefly informed about future action by the Green Township trustees.

Neither Slagle nor Halleck wanted to comment on what may happen.

But Halleck said that the Perry trustees wanted to stay out of the fray because city and the township have often worked together in the past.

wilkinson@vindy.com