Voters in Pemberville, Jerusalem Twp., Rocky Ridge will decide levies

10/18/2006

Two east suburban villages are asking for additional funding in November, and one township is looking to voters to approve a replacement.

Both Pemberville in Wood County and Jerusalem Township in Lucas County need more funding for recreational purposes.

In Ottawa County, Rocky Ridge authorities are asking voters for additional money for extra police protection and to continue paying for streetlights.

Pemberville Village Council has placed an additional three-year, 0.6-mill levy on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Councilman Keith Madaras said the money will help pay for park operations from routine maintenance to maintaining the village pool.

Costs have increased "significantly since we've taken on the community pool," he said. "This park levy will not even fund the pool, but this money will help."

Village officials are actively looking for grants and other financial support to help supplement the rest of the pool's costs.

The village is already collecting money from a three-year, 0.6-mill levy. That levy, first passed in 1994

, generates only about $11,000 annually and expires at the end of the year, authorities at the Wood County auditor's office said.

If voters pass the additional levy that is on the ballot, it will take the expiring levy's place. It's expected to generate $15,837 annually and cost just more than $18 a year for a $100,000 homeowner.

Jerusalem Township officials are also looking for more funding for its recreation department with the five-year, 0.75-mill replacement levy they've placed on the ballot.

Funding from the levy helps pay for recreational equipment and personnel salaries.

Recreation Director Lonnie Hart said a big chunk of the funding - between $11,000 and $15,000 - goes to neighboring Oregon because the township uses its ball fields for recreational leagues.

Some of the funds from the replacement levy, however, will also be used to provide for the future growth of the township's own recreational facility.

Jerusalem Township trustees bought 26 acres on Sacks Road between Yondota and Teachout roads in 2001 with a recreation facility in mind.

The engineering phase has been complete, and officials are looking for grant money before starting the project.

The goal is to build four baseball diamonds by spring, Mr. Hart said.

The levy is now collecting about $43,600 annually and is costing a $100,000 homeowner just more than $20 a year, said Scott Smith, chief deputy auditor for Lucas County.

If it's replaced, he said that same homeowner will have to pay an extra $2.90 a year for the levy that would raise $48,500 annually.

In neighboring Ottawa County, Rocky Ridge officials are asking voters to approve a five-year, 3-mill additional tax levy for current expenses.

Councilman Ray Brown said most of the money will be earmarked for police protection and street lights.

"We want to increase the time village police are patrolling in the village," he said.

"And if it doesn't pass, we're going to have to shut the street lights off, but we don't want to."

If passed, the new levy will raise about $13,000 annually and will cost about $94 a year for a $100,000 homeowner.

Contact Erika Ray at

eray@theblade.com

or 419-724-6088.