LISBON — Columbiana County commissioners approved the annexation of 8.238 acres of New Waterford-owned land into the village, then heard a complaint from a Unity Township trustee.

“We didn’t know anything about the annexation with New Waterford,” Trustee Bryan Henderson said Wednesday. “We haven’t received anything from New Waterford.”

The commissioners had already approved the annexation before Henderson spoke and said he was opposed to it until he knows what it is, noting that he read about it in the newspaper.

Commissioner Mike Halleck told him the annexation did not require a public hearing and suggested he talk to New Waterford Mayor Shane Patrone.

“Your comments are duly noted,” Halleck said.

Last week, the commissioners accepted the filing of the annexation. The property on Hatcher Road is contiguous to the village and the entire tract of land was owned by the village and is the location of the village water tower.

When Patrone was contacted about the annexation last week, he said plans call for the establishment of a small industrial park on the property, giving the village expansion possibilities for small businesses. He said people have been contacting the village with interest in any space available. Plans call for the village to work with the Columbiana County Port Authority and the county’s Economic Development office.

In business related to a different annexation, East Palestine Village Manager Antonio Diaz-Guy attended the meeting and asked what the commissioners were planning for the maintenance of the road for that annexation.

It was suggested that he contact the county engineer’s office. Both he and Henderson said the township could take care of one section and the village could take care of the other.

“From East Palestine’s perspective, we’ll do whatever you want,” Diaz-Guy said.

The annexation of 22.729 acres from Unity Township into East Palestine was proposed for land just north of where the village plans to build a new municipality/safety complex on North Market Street.

The Columbiana County commissioners agreed Oct. 1 to accept the Type II expedited annexation proposal for filing, with a decision for approval remains pending. Village council had approved a resolution authorizing to sign and file the petition on behalf of the parcel owners, which includes the village itself and BF Ltd.

The village owns 2.745 acres which are contiguous to the corporation line. The rest of the proposed annexation area is 22.729 acres owned by BF Ltd, which are contiguous to the village property. The petition for annexation was signed by Diaz-Guy and BF Ltd. President Thomas J. Brittain.

A previously published story said the new village complex will be built on North Market Street using a $16 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, with the grant covering 75 percent of the cost of the project which is projected to be finished in July 2028.

In other business, the commissioners accepted addendums to Community Based Corrections Subsidy Grant agreements, with one grant increased from $443,501 to $476,156 and another grant increased from $111,098 to $119,279. Halleck said these grants are for the probation department.

The next meeting of county commissioners will be 9 a.m. Nov. 5 in the downtown courthouse.

mgreier@mojonews.com