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Russell police levy moves toward ballot
(by Joan Demirjian - July 14, 2010)
Russell police levy moves toward ballot
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
Russell Township Trustees moved forward with placing a police levy on the ballot in November to help fund operations.
Trustees James Mueller and James Dickinson voted July 7 to place a 0.9-mill continuing police levy on the ballot. Trustee Christina Port abstained. She said a smaller levy of 0.6 mill should be placed on the ballot.
The levy would replace an existing 0.9-mill levy. By replacing it, the new levy will generate taxes based on today's property values, according to township Fiscal Officer Geri Heck.
The existing levy raises $46,000 annually. The replacement levy would generate $242,901, according to Russell Police Chief Tim Carroll. Another levy would not be needed for five years, he said.
The replacement levy would cost homeowners $27.56 per $100,000 of property value per year.
"The current levy has served 20 to 30 years, and it's time for a change," Mr. Mueller said.
The new money should be sufficient to put the department on a sounder basis, he said.
The police department operates with eight levies. The cost of all the levies is $109.20 per year for each $100,000 of property valuation, Mr. Carroll said.
Ms. Port said a 0.6-mill levy would generate $180,000 annually and would be enough to cover expenses.
She said she is concerned that the West Geauga School District will put a bond issue on the ballot and compete with the police levy.
However, Mr. Mueller said the smaller levy would only take care of the problem for a short time.
Mr. Carroll said he wants to avoid going to the voters too often for levies. The last one failed in 2004 and then passed in 2005.
Mr. Mueller said they would try to stretch finances until 2015 if the 0.9-mill levy is approved by voters. They don't want to have to go back to voters every 1 1/2 years, he said.
The levy would allow the department to hire another officer and make it possible to put two officers on every shift. Some shifts have only one officer on duty.
"It's for safety of the officers and public safety," Mr. Carroll said.
He said they have to look at vacations and they are trying to be creative with scheduling.
"It's a matter of safety," Mr. Dickinson said. "If a vehicle is pulled over, they have to have backup. It's been my goal to have two patrolmen on duty."
Mr. Mueller said that having two people on duty "increases the safety of the people who protect the township."
Ms. Port said the department should look at more budget tightening and cost-saving measures.
She said agrees with the goals of the department, however, the 0.6-mill levy would generate $160,000, which is sufficient for the department.
Ms. Port said most capital-improvement projects have been done in the police department along with equipment purchase. The levy would be used for operations.
"I looked at what's actually needed, and 0.6 mills is fine," she said. And with West Geauga's proposed bond issue on the ballot, it would be easier for the township to pass a lower police levy, she said.
There would be a better opportunity for successful passage of the 0.6-mill levy, Ms. Port said.
She abstained because she did not want to go with the 0.9-mill levy, "but I feel we do need a levy. I favor the lower one. I was not convinced the larger levy was needed. I want to be fiscally prudent. And I don't want carryovers."
Mr. Mueller said a 0.9-mill continuing levy would meet the needs for four or five years, to 2015 or so.
It would shortchange the department to go with the 0.6-mill levy, Mr. Mueller said.
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