WESTERVILLE, Ohio — The City of Westerville intends to merge with Harlem Township at a time when the area will see significant change and growth with Intel’s new semiconductor facilities in central Ohio.
In their announcement Wednesday, city officials said the merger was proposed to help preserve both communities’ histories and give residents more power to control future development that would best serve their interests.
“Westerville and Harlem have a lot of the same concerns and interests. It makes sense that we see how we can work together to protect our residents’ quality of life. Our initial conversations have been informative and useful for everyone, and we look forward to seeing where they lead,” said Harlem Township Trustee Carl Richison.
The city said the merger will not impact both communities’ schools. Other issues such as police and fire, parks and other city services will be discussed and explored between the Westerville and Harlem Township leaders to see if a merger would be a benefit to residents.
“Partnering with Harlem Township would give us both the tools we need to better manage the development around us and the power to take control of our future instead of having it taken from us. There are still factors to consider but the upside for both communities looks significant,” said Westerville City Manager Monica Dupee.
Westerville officials said a formal merger agreement would have to be approved by each legislative body by August to be submitted to voters for the November general election.
Westerville City Council will discuss the issue on March 5 at 7 p.m. Harlem Township will hold an information meeting for its residents on Thursday and March 6 at Harlem Road Church.