Swanton village OKs proposal for parks

5/4/2005

SWANTON - Swanton village residents yesterday passed a 0.5-mill, five-year replacement levy to generate funds for permanent improvements to the community parks.

The levy replaces a 0.5-mill levy, passed in November, 2000, that brings in about $28,000 annually; the replacement levy will generate about $31,000 a year, according to Jon Gochenour, village administrator.

Goals of the village's park and recreation board include purchasing land and developing a park in the town's northern section.

Other possible projects include construction of a performance pavilion in Memorial Park, one of the village's three parks. The others are Pilliod and Rotary parks.

Costs for the proposed projects exceed the additional dollars that the replacement levy will generate.

However, the park and recreation board plans to pursue grants and other funding sources to help pay for improvements.

A resident with a $100,000 owner-occupied home pays $8.71 now for the park levy, and will pay $9.87 a year for the replacement levy.

Replacement levies are based on the current valuations of property, while renewal levies are based on the valuations when the levy is originally passed.