Rossford votes in favor of funds for recreation, fire departments

Delta gets more money for pool; Archbold renews library tax

Voters cast their ballots at the Bulldog Center in Rossford.

The Blade/Katie Rausch
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Voters cast their ballots at the Bulldog Center in Rossford.

Supporters of Rossford’s fire and recreation departments were celebrating Tuesday’s night approval of property tax issues to support services for the operations.

Two replacement levies to fund the city’s recreation facility and its activities and a pair of tax renewals for the fire department were overwhelmingly approved by voters in the primary election.

The levies were among a host of issues ranging from swimming pools to police and library services decided by voters across the region.

The five-year, 0.4-mill levies for Rossford’s recreation operations, one for capital improvements and another for operations in the department, will each provide about $49,000 a year in tax dollars.

Rossford voters approved renewals of a 1-mill levy, which collects $123,000 annually, and a 0.6-mill levy, which generates $74,000 a year, for the fire department. Both will be collected for five years.

“I think this is an affirmation by the voters that the two departments are being operated very well,” City Administrator Ed Ciecka said.

Holgate voters narrowly approved a five-year, 2-mill levy to pay for operations of the village swimming pool. The tax will generate about $25,000 a year for maintenance and operations of the pool.

However, the six-vote margin of victory could be in jeopardy. Mayor Wally Snyder said there were reports that 25 walk-in votes have not been tabulated.

Council elected to ask for the new money instead of seeking renewal of a 2.5-mill levy that will expire this year and pays for pool and park operations.

The move put the fate of the pool in the hands of residents in the Henry County community by asking them what value they put on the 45-year-old pool.

An additional continuous, 1-mill levy to fund park and recreations improvements in the village was approved by a comfortable margin and will likely not be affected by the walk-in votes. The issue will provide about $12,500 annually in tax money for park facilities, including athletic fields.

In Deshler, also in Henry County, voters rejected a five-year, 2.1-mill additional levy for police operations. The issue would have added about $50,000 annually to village coffers.

In Fulton County, voters overwhelmingly approved the renewal of a 1.1-mill, five-year levy and an additional 0.5-mills for the county’s senior center and related activities supported by the center. The additional money will provide $440,000 annually to the $900,000 that the existing millage generates a year.

Also in Fulton County, voters in Archbold approved the renewal of a 0.7-mill, five-year property tax for the community library. The levy provides about $150,000 a year for library operations.

Voters in Delta approved an additional property tax to support funding of the village swimming pool. The 1.25-mill, five-year levy will provide about $53,000 annually.

Sandusky County voters approved a a five-year, 0.8-mill levy for services administered by the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Sandusky, and Wyandot Counties.

Contact Mark Reiter at: markreiter@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.