The home at 1202 Beechwood Road is technically in Perry Township but the city of Salem is trying to change that by annexing the property. 

Since the home gets utilities from Salem and is near a newly zoned industrial plot of land that’s now in the city, the homeowners got a letter saying they’re being annexed. Now, they’re trying to stop that. 

“We feel the city is bullying us with their letters and their threats to shut off our water and sewer and like we’re pawns in this scheme,” Laurie Butcher, the owner of the home on Beechwood said. 

‘No annexation’ signs are also in the front yards of Colonial, Countryside Drive and Hampton Place. If the annexation does happen on Beechwood, those homes could follow. 

“We believe this is detrimental to the area and creates issues with road maintenance, fire and police services,” Jim Armeni, a Perry Township Trustee said. 

Owners of older homes feel they’re safe from the annexation because their deeds don’t allow it. But the newer homes could have deeds that allow the city to annex them. That would cause some streets to have homes split into two different jurisdictions. 

The City of Salem argues annexations like this are how they grow and don't think it would cause confusion. 

“They would also be covered by our city 24/7 paid professional fire department and our police department …we go often into Perry Township to provide those services so in many cases there would be no change,” Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey, the Mayor of Salem said. 

The Columbiana County Commissioners will decide if the home on Beechwood Road gets annexed. Commissioner Tim Weigle said that could come in the next two weeks.

The homeowner and the City of Salem can file an appeal after the commissioners decision. The issues would then be brought to court for a judge to decide.