About 400 people had signed the petition on Change.org as of Wednesday.
The petition says residents want the two men to resign “for failure to uphold the mandate as trustees to perform their duties as financial fiduciaries and ensuring the safety, security, and the welfare of the Citizens of Bath Township and the City of Fairborn of which they represent.” The petition was started by Fairborn resident Lorie Venable.
“We are just so tired of them and the corruption,” Venable said.
Residents of Bath Twp. and Fairborn have been fighting with trustees over a number of issues for the past couple of years. The main issue being the presence of bio-energy farm Renergy. Renergy, also known as Dovetail Energy, a company that collects sewage, biowaste from municipalities and food and farm waste into methane energy, the byproduct of which is then turned into fertilizer for crops used to feed livestock. Many living nearby have concerns over the odor from the operation and the long-term health effects of living near the waste.
The operation sits on Tom Pitstick’s farm. He could not be reached for comment.
Renergy had been accepting solid waste from various municipalities, but stopped accepting it October of this year. The company now only accepts food waste and farm waste, like manure.
In March, the Bath Twp. Board of Zoning Appeals ruled Renergy is not operating in accordance to their land’s agricultural zoning, but instead is operating a business more appropriate for industrial zoning. Renergy has appealed this ruling.
In September of 2019, an independent zoning inspector found Renergy was not compliant with the agricultural zoning of the land it sits on. Fayette prosecutor Jess Weade issued a cease and desist order, giving Renergy 30 days to become compliant. The bio-energy company appealed that order and continued operating.
Renergy continues to operate today, despite the March zoning ruling.
Bath Twp. is currently in litigation with Dovetail. The township’s attorney, Michael Bly, filed a brief in July asking why Dovetail should not be held in contempt of court for still operating. Nothing new has been filed with the Greene County Clerk of Courts since August.
“Trustees should above all act with wisdom. The township is in litigation. We are actually the defendants in the Greene County court system,” said Steve Ross. “Dovetail is currently on their second appeal and there probably will be more. The process will conclude at some point and there will be resolution. in the mean time, anyone who sits in authority should not jeopardize the case through imprudent actions. You gotta do what the attorneys say to do.”
Ross said he understands the frustration of residents, but does not plan to resign.
“If they want a change in trustee, they’ll have an opportunity next November,” he said.
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