Wednesday, January 24th, 2007

Mercer County appropriations up 6.5% for '07

By Pat Royse
The Mercer County Commission decided on Tuesday how the county's expected income for 2007 will be spent.
This year's appropriation to fund 37 agencies and departments in Mercer County totals $9,740,600.12, an increase of 6.55 percent over 2006's appropriation.
Income to pay general fund agencies comes from taxpayers, in the form of sales tax, property tax, fees and the state's local government fund. One third of the income is sales tax generated.
County Auditor Mark Giesige has estimated the county will have $10.6 million on hand this year, when the $1.6 million carryover from last year is added in.
Three line items assigned to the sheriff department's administration - the jail, at $743,299, central dispatch, at $321,944, and the sheriff's department proper, at $1,407,701 - add up to 25.65 percent of the total general fund budget.
The only other line item in the general fund list that is over $1 million is for health, workers' compensation and liability insurance.
Buildings, grounds and capital improvements, listed in the general fund with an outlay $298,000 for 2007, is a 124 percent increase over last year. It is a one-time expense to pay for computers, software and other upgrades for the common pleas court and the clerk of courts.
The outside funds handled and distributed or collected by commissioners total $35,223,925. Outside funds have other sources of income. For example, the revolving loan fund, which totals $600,000 for 2007, collects money from the business that is paying back a loan and makes new loans to others with that income. Money also goes into the many ditch funds from property owners who are paying for building or improving the assorted ditches.
Other outside funds are just a "pass through" for state-funded agencies.
Commissioners will spend or act as fiscal agent for a total of $44,964,525 this year.
Commissioners agreed Tuesday to post on the county's Web site at www.mercercountyohio.org and advertise the general fund appropriations budget in the newspaper.
Additional online story on this date
A year after adding a team, the Midwest Athletic Conference will revise its football schedule after the 2007 season, with each team playing one fewer conference game. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Celina city officials plan to spend more than $100,000 to acquire some residential properties along Grand Lake Road.
Most of the new city-owned lan
NEW BREMEN - The New Bremen Historic Association wants to add a three-story lock tender's house, which would include a canal museum, as part of the current Lock One Restoration Project.
The calendar says it is January, but for the 2007 Celina Lake Festival steering committee it is kick-off time for the annual summer event.
Co-chairman Michelle Emerine announced Tuesday that the festival will be held the weekend of July 27-29 with the theme "Happy Days" chosen.
A World War II veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor was killed in a house fire in Arcanum on Monday afternoon.
Charles Ary, 85, was pronounced dead by
NEW BREMEN - A nuisance complaint fueled a decision by New Bremen village councilors Tuesday night to outlaw freestanding outdoor furnaces.
The action, which passed as an emergency, prohibits residents from installing such devices that have become popular in the wake of rising fuel prices.
A Celina man has pleaded not guilty in Mercer County Common Pleas Court to charges alleging he intimidated a witness in a criminal case.
Gregory Ed
Closing down party is Saturday; reopenning set for end of February
The owners of Sunnyside Restaurant recently were considering selling the business after almost 25 years of ownership. Instead, Donna and Terry Temple are completely remodeling the restaurant/bar, located on the south side of Grand Lake.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Coldwater won its third straight game with a 44-36 win over Indiana foe Jay County on Tuesday night in Portland.
The win moves the Cavaliers to 6-8 while the loss drops the Patriots to 11-6 on the season.