White River Township—to merge or not to merge
About 300 White River Township residents came to find answers to possibly merging Tuesday night.
They may not have gotten the answers, but they came away from the Center Grove High School auditorium with more than 20 opinions and a whole lot of information.
White River Township, in the northwest sector of Johnson County, is the largest unincorporated area, with more than 40,000 residents. Many residents have indicated that they want a sense of identity for their area and benefits from increased services.
And growth, particularly residential, is booming across its farmlands.
It has no sense of identity, having a Greenwood mailing address and bad county roads because of heavy traffic. If it has a focal point, then it’s Center Grove schools.
The three-member White River Township Board is considering four options:
• Merge with city of Greenwood to the east
• Merge with town of Bargersville to the south
• Incorporate into a town or city itself
• Do nothing, and be vulnerable to piecemeal annexation by surrounding communities
White River Township Board members are chairman Mark Messick, secretary Joseph Acker and member John Ebert. Jay Marks, White River Township trustee, sat with the board.
Among those attending the public board meeting were Greenwood Mayor Charles Henderson, state Rep. Woody Burton and state Rep. David Frizzell.
Mayor Henderson recommended having a study done and then choosing “what serves you best.” He said Johnson County government is not set up to solve the many local problems in White River Township.
The mayor said once township residents come to a decision about possibly merging, then it would be up to the councils of Greenwood or Bargersville to decide if and how much of the merger would be acceptable.
“I don’t know how our council will vote,” he said.
Said township board member Ebert, “We have to determine what we can gain from any of the four proposals. He said considerations of merging are far more than when the garbage is picked up or if they can have open burning.
As if reading what the audience’s main concern is, he added: “I don’t know the tax results. We’ve got to do what’s good for our children.”
John Dorsett of White River Citizens United, cited the township as having one (of three) county commissioners for 70 percent of the county’s population. He said roads serving the area are 30 to 40 years old; many were dedicated to the county by developers and are need of repair.
“In all probability, taxes will increase,” Dorsett said. “But we’re missing out on a lot of tax money.”
Residents for a merger cited better police protection and a need to have closer government. However, decisions have to be made as to what government services are wanted should they incorporate, such as police, fire, parks, street maintenance and libraries.
“If we’re going to do something, now is the time,” said Forrest Chambers, a township resident for 37 years. “Greenwood has much to offer.”
