Keller, of Middletown, spoke during the visitors’ portion of the meeting and read from a prepared statement she said was approved by Bishop-Driscoll, who was out of town and unavailable to attend the meeting.
In April, the city of Monroe replaced sewage lines on Mason Road where Bishop-Driscoll’s property that faces Interstate 75 is located, Keller said. While the work is complete, Keller said about half of the road was blacktopped and there are numerous rectangular patches of blacktop that are “unsightly and appear unfinished.”
She said the property is for sale.
“The road repair is inadequate and detrimental to the property value,” Keller told council members and city staff.
City Manager Bill Brock told the Journal-News the Public Works Department will review the complaint and report back to council at its next meeting on June 13.
He said the work that was performed on Mason Road was the replacement of the water main only and the area above the utility was the only area repaired with the project. The Publics Works Department uses pavement condition ratings to determine priorities for the city’s paving programs and will review Mason Road with other needs within the city, he said.
Brock said the city’s comprehensive plan calls for the area to develop as mixed residential. Once the property develops, it is most likely that Mason Road will also be improved with that development in a manner “consistent with the needs of the traffic produced,” which will be determined when a proposal is presented for review, he said.
There are two parcels owned by Bishop-Driscoll listed on the Butler County’s Auditor’s web site. There are two buildings that sit on about 90 acres, according to the auditor’s site. The land is valued at $209,000 and the two buildings that include nine bedrooms and 12 bathrooms are valued at $1,019,570.
Including all the land and structures the two parcels are valued at $1.2 million, according to the auditor’s web site.
While the repairs were being made, Keller said the construction team left “large tractor ditches” in the soil surrounding the roadway. She said the property is a working farm with a large number of livestock.
The existing situation is “unsafe and could cause an accident or injury of those who work the property,” Keller said.
The pastor has lived in Monroe for more than 30 years and pays in excess of $30,000 annually in property taxes, according to Keller.
Keller said Bischop-Driscoll wants the city of Monroe to restore the road and driveway to the “exact same condition” as it was prior to the sewage repair.
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