Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Auglaize tax issues pass

By Jared Mauch
WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County voters approved three tax issues on Election Day.
Auglaize County sales tax
Voters renewed a 0.5 percent county sales tax for another 10 years with 8,273 votes or 56 percent to 6,541. The tax was set to expire April 1 and is part of the county's overall 7.25 percent sales tax.
The tax generates about $2.5 million annually for the county's general fund.
In 2008, the sales tax brought in about $2.3 million. That figure rose 14 percent to about $2.7 million in 2014. By mid-October, it had earned more than $2.1 million.
The tax was first enacted in 1996 to pay for the construction and operation of the Auglaize County jail. The bulk of the money generated still funds the sheriff's department.
The county also will use the money to pay for future projects including the installation of lightning rods at the courthouse, which was struck by lightning twice in 2014, causing the elevators in the building to malfunction.

Auglaize County
Council on Aging levy
County residents renewed a five-year, 1-mill operating levy to support the Auglaize County Council on Aging. Unofficial results showed 11,684 votes or 79 percent for the issue and 3,175 or 21 percent against.
The levy generates about $846,178 per year and makes up the largest portion of the council's budget, according to council executive director Christina Roby.
The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $23 per year, down from $30 when approved in 2010.

Mental Health and Recovery
Services Board of Allen,
Auglaize and Hardin
Counties tax levy
Voters in all involved counties renewed a 10-year, 0.5-mill tax levy for the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Counties.
Unofficial Auglaize County results showed 10,875 votes for the levy and 3,923 against it. Allen County approved the measure 19,320 to 8,414, and Hardin County passed it with 4,833 votes to 2,674, according to unofficial results.
The levy supports basic mental health and alcohol and drug treatment for adults and children. It will generate about $1.6 million per year from all three counties. The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $11.88 per year, down from $15 when it was last approved in 2005.
The revenue supports the children's crisis team, heroin addiction treatment, psychiatry, substance-abuse services for youth and adults, the 24-hour crisis stabilization unitand a texting and phone hotline, according to the board's website.
The levy has been approved by voters for 40 years.
Additional online story on this date
CELINA - City voters on Tuesday resoundingly approved a ballot measure allowing funds from a 0.5 percent additional income tax levy for police and fire services to also fund much-needed street repairs. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
All incumbents keep their seats in Marion Local, Coldwater districts
By CLAIRE GIESIGE, JARED MAUCH AND TOM MILLHOUSE
newsdept@dailystandard.com
A pair of Celina school board members were ousted but incumbents at
ST. MARYS - A former city council member has been elected as the new city council president, and voters approved a measure allowing Sunday sales of alcohol for a local shop.
Nearly half of all registered voters in Mercer and Auglaize counties participated in Tuesday's off-year general election.
In Mercer County, 49.31 percent of the 28,019 registered voters cast a ballot by early absentee vote or at the polls on Election Day, according to unofficial results.
Replaces Freeman in Celina police post
CELINA - Sgt. Dan Harting on Tuesday was promoted to assistant chief of the police department, filling a spot left vacant since mid-July when Cal Freeman retired after 34 years.
Company to oversee construction project
MINSTER - Engineering and building firm CDM-Smith will help oversee construction of the village's wastewater treatment centrifuge project at a maximum cost of $266,000.
By WILLIAM KINCAID
and SHELLEY GRIESHOP
newdept@dailystandard.com
All Mercer County levies were passed by voters at the polls on Tuesday.
For
Work expected to get underway this week
MONTEZUMA - County officials this week approved an agreement to allow the construction of a privately owned hangar at the local airport.
This may b
ROCKFORD - Village solicitor Judy Koesters said at Tuesday's village council meeting that a review of Rockford's water deposit ordinance revealed no legal problems.
By CLAIRE GIESIGE and SHELLEY GRIESHOP
newsdept@dailystandard.com
ROCKFORD - Amy Joseph will retain her title as mayor, and village residents will allow a firm to negotiate gas and electric rates on their behalf following action at the polls Tuesday.
By WILLIAM KINCAID
and NANCY ALLEN
newsdept@dailystandard.com
Voters in Jefferson, Liberty, Gibson, Granville, Union and Dublin townships elected officials in contested races on Tuesday.
By CLAIRE GIESIGE
and SHELLEY GRIESHOP
newsdept@dailystandard.com
ROCKFORD - District residents on Tuesday approved levies for Parkway Local Schools and the Vantage Career Center.
NEW BREMEN - An incumbent and a newcomer in a field of five candidates won two seats on the school's board of education.
New Bremen-area voters also approved a levy to fund emergency medical services.
ST. MARYS - A new boutique on Spring Street is the latest addition to a legacy of family-owned businesses.
St. Marys sisters Ammy Snyder and Tracy Miley opened Effie's Boutique on Oct. 1. Their parents had owned two other St. Marys businesses, The Crafty Basket and Klosterman Pizza.
Division II Girls Soccer Regional Final
FINDLAY - If Kendall Gilmore needed a new middle name, the name "Clutch" could certainly be used.
For the second straight match, the Celina junior
2015 State Cross Country Preview
They've been ranked the top team in Division III all season.
Now the Minster girls cross country team has an opportunity to prove it once and for all at Saturday's state cross country championships at National Trail Raceway in Hebron.