Union Twp. meeting yields possible new arcade

by Jason Antoniewicz

A new indoor amusement center may be on the way in Union Township, as the Board of Trustees approved a motion to rezone land from residential to business interests.

2420 E. Broomfield Road is currently home to Mt. Pleasant RV Center. At the October 22nd board meeting, it was indicated that the property owners would transform the land into an indoor fun center, with video arcade and go-karts.

Other local business matters were brought to the table that evening. Applebee's, located at 4929 E. Pickard, appealed their property taxes down by nearly $100,000.

Five such appeals have come in to the township this year. At the time of the meeting, an agreement with Menards was pending, and officials from Kroger were set to talk with the township assessor.

Union Township officials made it clear that "big box" businesses appealing their property tax was routine practice. The township assessor said she was working to reach settlements with businesses at a minimum cost to the township.

The board also approved creating the job of assistant to the assessor in a vote of five to two. Dissenting board members said that the supplied job description was too vague, and perhaps gave a job title to a township employee unnecessarily.

Several construction bids were approved at the meeting, including almost $2,500 for new weather-proof bleachers at Jameson Park, the last location in the township to receive them. The board also approved funds for building a new communications tower for its departments, with enough height to provide contact across the entire township.

Over $3,700 was approved to for fencing around the Broadway water tower, as well as the township's newest well, whose viability was the subject of a lengthy debate among the board and the well's contractor. The new installation will increase water capacity without compromising the well's supplying aquifer.