The Village of Sardinia is hoping to get the go-ahead on an annexation project for the village which will include the extension of water and sewer to the homes involved in the annexation.
According to Sardinia Mayor Greg Cassidy, in 2012, the Brown County Health Department informed the Mayor at that time, Todd Bumbalough and Sardinia council members that there were approximately 6 homes on Brown Avenue in the village that all had older septic systems that were in varied degrees of bad conditions and needed to be closed down.
“When we (village council) learned about this, then Mayor Bumbalough and village administrator Tim Mock met with the Brown County Commissioners,” said now Mayor Cassidy. “We needed input  on what the village needed to do next.
“The commissioners said that they would not and could not approve running water and sewer to that area of Brown Avenue and part of Purdy road, unless they were annexed into the village.”
Efforts began immediately, according to Cassidy, to inform all the residents who were part of the annexation proposed area about the changes.
“Mayor Bumbalough and Mr. Mock were able to get all the necessary signatures from the area,” Cassidy said. “That was in late 2012, but our solicitor at the time was unaware that the signatures were only good and applicable for 6 months from the day the petition was signed.
“So when we took the signatures to the commissioners, we were told we had to start all over getting signatures on a new petition.
“By this time part of Purdy Road and the south end of  Tri-County Highway had been added to the annexation, plus a second annexation on North Brookfield Place and King Avenue was needed.”
Paperwork for the second annexation has just recently been filed.
“We tried again in 2014 to get this annexation going, but new issues kept coming up,” Cassidy said. “So here we are, 2016 and we’re working on this annexation for the third time. This time, we’re going to get it right.
“We’ve held one public hearing on this matter last month. The original estimate on running water and sewer down to Brown Avenue and Tri-County Road was $450,000, but with the dropping oil rates, the project is now been re-estimated at $350,000. So we’re working on that plan.”
At least one property owner in the village, Larry Meeker has expressed serious concerns over the annexation because he feels like this annexation was never asked for by the people involved.
Meeker met Monday, Nov. 7 with the Brown County Commissioners to express his concerns, but according to Meeker, he was told that there are five specific things that the village had to have in place, and if those five stipulations are met, commissioners will approve the annexation.
According to Meeker, the commissioners said that they will give their final decision by Nov. 19, 2016.
“There will be a tap-in fee of $2,000,” Mayor Cassidy added, “But we plan on helping those people find agencies and organizations to help defray that cost. We’re talking about 18 or 20 households, and we will do everything in our power to help them.”