ASHVILLE, Ohio — The Village of Ashville Council has introduced Resolution 16-2026 to formally repeal its prior development agreement summary with EdgeConneX, Inc., effectively halting a November ballot referendum following a successful legal challenge by local residents.
The move comes after months of legal wrangling between village officials and a group of local citizens. On April 6, 2026, village council originally passed Resolution 06-2026, approving a Development and Supply Agreement Term Summary with EdgeConneX, Inc. In response, residents gathered 875 signatures on a referendum petition to put the deal to a public vote on the November 3, 2026, ballot.
While the Pickaway County Board of Elections verified 669 valid signatures in May—surpassing the required threshold—the Village Fiscal Officer deemed the petition invalid in June, and the board subsequently declared the matter closed.
In response, local citizens Laura McNamara-Smith, Brian Thomas Meyers, and Allison Meade filed a mandamus lawsuit directly with the Supreme Court of Ohio (State ex rel. McNamara-Smith v. Grube). The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the residents, ordering the fiscal officer to certify the petition. Following the ruling, the Board of Elections scheduled the referendum for the upcoming November ballot during an August 24 meeting.
Rather than proceeding to a public vote, village leaders moved forward with Resolution 16-2026, which outright repeals the initial EdgeConneX agreement summary. Under Revised Code 731.34, if a legislative body repeals a challenged measure after a valid referendum petition is filed, the board of elections is legally required to remove the question from the ballot.
Village officials noted in the resolution text that the repeal achieves the exact result sought by the citizen petition. The legislation explicitly clarifies that it does not approve any new agreements, enact new laws, or impact any separate ongoing proceedings, including matters under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Power Siting Board.
