By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DEERFIELD TWP. - Voters here have a unique chance to expand their Board of Trustees from three members to five.

Advocates - who collected enough petitions to put the issue on the ballot - say a larger board would better represent the community of 26,000-plus. Opponents, including the current trustees, say the measure would cost taxpayers $50,000 a year in salary and benefits with no guarantee that government would improve.

The issue has received regional attention because it's the first time anyone has tried to use a year-old Ohio law allowing townships with home rule to have five trustees.

Friends of Five, a citizens group that formed to support the initiative, notes that Mason is governed by a seven-member city council, yet has fewer residents than Deerfield.

The movement began after a decision by the current board to let senior housing be built near the Woodfield of Landen subdivision, but supporter Faye Smith says it's not retaliatory.

"If this was purely based on motives to `throw the bums out,' we would have done a recall," she says.

But Trustee Randy Kuvin says expanding the board would make Deerfield a guinea pig for an untested law: "There really is no evidence that I'm aware of that a larger body of politicians is a better means of governing," he says. "... As you expand the number of elected officials, you dilute the accountability."

A group called Three is Enough was formed to fight the initiative.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com