Annexing areas southwest of Logansport, including Logansport State Hospital, and on the north side of the city near Huston Park and the River Bluff Trail would add population and assessed valuation while providing services and lower utility rates.
That is the synopsis of an annexation proposed by Logansport Mayor Dave Kitchell today. The mayor said the state’s “circuit-breaker” law will protect annexed residents and businesses from spikes in their property tax bills, an opinion confirmed by the Umbaugh & Associates, the fiscal analyst for the city, Cass County and the Logansport Community School Corporation. Annexation also will allow residents in the proposed areas to see lower utility bills and benefit from city trash and recycling programs in addition to city police and fire protection. Residents outside the city limits pay utility rates 25 percent higher than Logansport residents.
The mayor also called for the city council to rescind a previous controversial annexation south of the city in Washington Township. Property owners and residents in that area recently appeared before the council to ask them to rescind the city annexation. That proposed annexation was challenged by Washington Township residents in a case that was eventually affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals. But Kitchell said there has been no economic development in that area since the case, and residents continue to oppose it. Given the scope of extending utilities and city services to that area, it is likely the cost of annexing it will outweigh the benefit.
“After months of deep drilling to determine what areas we should annex to benefit people affected and the city, this proposal provides more than three times the net assessed value for the city and allows us to use the utility presence we already have at the Logansport State Hospital to push southwest and serve the Cass County Industrial Park and the Clymers areas,” Kitchell said. “There will be some challenge involved with the Unger Addition, but something has to be done there to help residents who either are or will face failing septic systems in the coming years.”
The hospital already has its own utility system. The Logansport Municipal Utilities provides power to the hospital campus and manages water wells which provide service to the hospital and the entire city. The Street Department also operates its tub-grinding chipper on the campus.
“We have been in talks with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration which would be interested in release title of portions of its 199-acre campus to the city for future development. Its location next to a four-lane highway, water supply and rail access provide it with some attractive qualities.”
The mayor said he and Cass County Commissioners President Jim Sailors have discussed Logansport Municipal Utilities service to the county industrial park since city and county officials agreed to dismiss a costly legal action involving the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission earlier this year.
“I realize the area south of the city could be annexed, but we would be better off considering future annexation there on a case-by-case basis rather than throwing a blanket annexation over it and stepping back from any kind of commitment to services that are cost-effective.”
- Press Release from Mayor Dave Kitchell
