More than 200 people filled the room in Piketon on Monday, with many of them coming straight from work at the nearby plant, still wearing their work clothes. Others wore their work vests as a show of solidarity.


PIKETON, Ohio — In a stark contrast to the usual quiet gatherings, Monday night’s Piketon Village Council meeting turned tumultuous, drawing an unexpected crowd of over 200 attendees, primarily workers from the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (A-Plant). The meeting, which typically sees single-digit attendance — if that, quickly escalated as council members faced intense public scrutiny over a recent annexation petition aimed at incorporating the A-Plant into Piketon’s boundaries.

The agenda listed only one item related to the water department, but the annexation issue dominated the evening. The A-Plant, now a hub for redevelopment with companies like Centrus, OKLO, and Trillium, currently employs around 1,500 workers. The annexation would allow Piketon to impose a 1% income tax on these workers, which, under Ohio law, applies to all individuals both living and working within village limits.

Many were displeased with the council’s lack of transparency on the issue, by not engaging the union or asking the plant workers for input before petitioning the county.

“We’ve been through this twice, and this time it was done a little bit quickly without many of us knowing much about it,” said plant worker Herman Potter. “We’ve always worked with the village; we’ve wanted to work with the village, but now it is a little different because [the union] is not being included. I am here on behalf of the steel workers, who will boycott the village …. nobody is going to come here and spend money in this village.”

Several others said they would not spend any money in the village, either, and would protest until local businesses were forced to close shop. Potter said the union was in talks with lawyers to see what legal action they could take against the council to stop the measure.

The financial implications are significant; it’s estimated that annexing the A-Plant could inject nearly $4 million annually into Piketon’s general fund, a move seen by some as a solution to the village’s financial mismanagement issues. However, the proposal has met with fierce resistance. Many of the plant workers, some of whom have dedicated decades to the facility but do not reside in Piketon, expressed frustration over their lack of voting power or voice in local politics. They argued that they are essentially being taxed without representation, likening the move to being “robbed” to fund what they perceive as village mismanagement.

“Taxation without representation!” shouted one of the men who works at the plant. He did not announce his name, but there appeared to be little need. Everyone in the room knew the man as a fellow co-worker at the plant.

–WATCH THE MEETING BELOW–

“We are paying good money up here, and you want to reach out here and grab it and say you want some of it and take it. You ain’t going to have a damn thing to say for it! How can you sit there and do that? …. I don’t even live in this village. I will tell you this much: this is the biggest atrocity I have ever seen in my life: you sitting there, coming up and going to take our money away from us? And, for what? Because someone wants to do a sewer line? You’ve overspent yourself! …. I’m going to tell you what: this looks like one hell of a case of bad management! I’m tellin’ you what: I don’t know about the rest of you, but if this goes through, I’ll make darn certain I won’t spend another dime in this town, and I spend a heck-of-a-lot of money here. It will stop! That includes the fair; the tire shop, the restaurants; anything else in this town …. I’m close to retirement, you won’t get another dime from me!”

The heated debate led to an unprecedented scene where several council members were seen leaving the meeting under police escort, later described by some attendees as “running away” from the public. The council members were called “cowards” for not engaging more directly with the crowd’s concerns.

The meeting, which typically sees single-digit attendance — if that, quickly escalated as council members faced intense public scrutiny over a recent annexation petition aimed at incorporating the A-Plant into Piketon’s boundaries. | GUARDIAN PHOTO VIEWER SUBMITTED

Councilman Victor Brushart could be seen rolling his eyes as people spoke their concerns. Some of the men in the room called the council member out for his expressions; in what some would call fighting words.

“Smirking and rolling your eyes! Yeah, I’m talking to you! Yeah, you!” said one man to Brushart. “You know who I am talking to!”

Council members, during the meeting, noted that both townships where the A-Plant is situated have reportedly expressed support for the annexation. This statement did little to quell the crowd’s discontent. The petition for annexation currently rests with the Pike County Commissioners, awaiting further action.

Council members sit in the meeting on Monday. | GUARDIAN PHOTO VIEWER SUBMITTED

As the debate continues, all eyes will be on the County Commissioners and the next steps they take with the annexation petition, which could significantly alter the economic and social landscape of Piketon.