Columbus Light and Water Department Executive Director Todd Gale today is scheduled to meet with Chris Watson, of Oxford-based Bridge and Watson, to discuss the costs associated with providing water and sewer to areas under consideration for annexation.
Gale earlier estimated a cost of about $40 million to provide water and sewer services to six areas under consideration.
But in a special council meeting Thursday, he noted costs were revised to about $38 million after the council reduced the size of areas under consideration.
Gale is meeting with Watson to discuss further reducing the costs for providing water and sewer service to annexed areas.
The Columbus City Council earlier advised Watson to study annexing areas east of Columbus, north of Columbus, along Highway 45 North and small areas south of Columbus.
Additionally, Watson was asked to analyze the possibility of annexing the property on Highway 373, on which a new middle school will be located and the property, near the Columbus Riverwalk, where Ruben”s Fish House currently is located.
Watson also is studying the possibility of annexing Columbus Air Force Base, “from right-of-way to right-of-way,” not nearby residential areas.
Annexing Area 1, which includes areas along Highway 45 North and CAFB, Area 2, which includes areas north of the city limits, Area 3, which includes areas along Lehmberg Road, Areas 4 and 5, both of which include small areas south of the city, and Area 6, which includes the Riverwalk and areas west of the city, would mean a $1.2 million annual deficit for the city, not including the costs of providing water and sewer services, Watson earlier said.
But the council agreed to reduce the size of Area 2, thus eliminating the need to construct another fire station and cutting Public Works Department requirements, a move which means the city could annex all six areas for an annual cost of $304,310, not including water and sewer costs.
Once a decision to annex has been made, “several months” could pass before the city”s first court hearing on annexation, Watson earlier noted.
If uncontested, services, like police and fire protection, would begin immediately for annexed areas, once annexation is approved, but the city would have five years for major improvements.
Watson still is gathering data related to potential annexation.
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