Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

Marion schools levy passes

By Jared Mauch
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Kevin Hartings, maintenance supervisor for Marion Local Schools, on Tuesday morning checks a seam on the degraded rubber roof on the elementary school. Voters on Tuesday approved a 1.5-mill levy with a 0.3-mill increase that will help pay for building improvements such as the roof.

MARIA STEIN - School district residents on Tuesday voted nearly 65 percent in favor of a renewal levy with an increase to fund building improvements and maintenance.
The total 1.8-mill permanent improvement levy will generate $151,476 per year for five years when it begins in January. The current 1.5-mill levy collects $126,476 per year.
The issue passed with 828 votes for and 455 against.
The owner of a $100,000 home will annually pay $53.56, up from $43,06.
The levy issue generated little interest, school superintendent Mike Pohlman said this morning.
"It was pretty low key. There was not a lot of support for or against it leading up to Tuesday," he said.
He noted the community has in the past supported levy issues on the ballot.
The money collected will fund school building improvements, including equipment, furnishings and site improvements. Permanent improvement levies are used to purchase items that last five years or longer such as a roof replacement or a new school bus. It cannot fund consumable goods such as office supplies, propane or district salaries.
Pohlman said there are no immediate plans on how to spend the levy dollars except the completion of a new roof for the elementary building.
"I would just like to thank the taxpayers for their continued support and trust and for allowing the district to work with their money," the superintendent said.
Additional online story on this date
Tax will continue to generate revenue for police, fire expenses
CELINA - City voters on Tuesday defeated a ballot issue that would have repealed a 0.5-percent income tax for police and fire expenses and replaced it with a tax at the same rate for police, fire and street expenses. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
WAPAKONETA - Voters in Auglaize County on Tuesday rejected the Heritage Trails Park District levy for the second time this year.
Unofficial electio
CELINA - Voter turnout Tuesday was low in the Grand Lake area and across the state.
Just 41.96 percent of the 29,428 registered voters in Mercer County cast ballots, and 43 percent of the 31,511 registered voters in Auglaize County, according to election officials.
Area voters on Tuesday approved levies for street lighting in Montezuma, operating expenses in Dublin Township, fire protection in Butler Township and two requests to sell liquor in Celina, according to unofficial results from the Mercer County Board of Elections.
Tax levies for the Coldwater Library District and the Rockford Carnegie Library were approved by voters on Election Day.
The levy for the Coldwater library - its first ever - passed with 1,591 votes for and 638 votes against. The five-year, one-half mill levy will collect $68,353 per year.
ROCKFORD - Council members plan to give 3 percent raises to full-time, hourly and salaried village employees.
Rockford village councilors on Tuesday night heard first reading on the proposal. If passed, the wage increases would go into effect in January.
MINSTER - Village council members are considering raising residents' electric fees after hearing a presentation from a consultant Tuesday night.
John Courtney of Courtney and Associates showed councilors a 40-slide presentation, which included findings of an electrical cost of service study.
ST. MARYS - Water and wastewater committee members this week discussed plans to build a new water treatment plan to replace the 67-year-old facility.