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Local News

Saturday, August 22, 2009

County's November ballot set
Diamond Mine Direct
By MARY KATE MALONE

Staff Writer

For voters living in Findlay, the Nov. 3 ballot will include three major tax issues that officials say are crucial to the economic health of the city and Hancock County.

The county and city made last-minute reductions in their tax requests this week in hopes of winning voter support.

And the Findlay School District is trying for a second time to win support for a bond issue to build new schools. Voters rejected the bond issue in a special election Aug. 4.

Seven other tax issues will be on the ballot elsewhere in Hancock County: in the Cory-Rawson School District and the Appleseed Joint Ambulance District, in the villages of Arlington, Jenera and Mount Blanchard, and in Allen and Union townships.

Voters in two Findlay precincts will decide liquor issues.

The county's villages and townships also have council and trustee positions up for grabs, and in some cases, six or seven people are vying for four seats.

The filing deadline for issues and candidates to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot was Thursday.

Here are the tax issues on the November ballot in Hancock County. "Renewals" mean taxpayers are being asked to approve a tax for the same amount of money they are already paying. "Replacement" levies represent slight tax increases from what is currently being paid.

• Hancock County is asking voters to approve a 10-year, half-percent sales tax. The commissioners imposed the tax last September and it took effect in January. If voters do not approve it, the county will stop collecting it early next year.

The tax is expected to generate about $5 million annually. Half the money will support county departments and daily operations, and the rest will be saved for future flood control projects and county capital improvement projects.

• The City of Findlay is asking voters to approve a three-year, quarter-percent income tax to generate about $3.5 million annually for operating expenses. The tax would cost a person making the median income ($49,715) about $124 per year, according to city Auditor Robert Sprague.

• Findlay School District is asking voters to approve a 4.3-mill bond issue to help pay for construction of two middle schools and a career technical center. The owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $132 annually.

• Allen Township is asking voters to renew a 0.9-mill, five-year levy for its fire department. It would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $28 per year.

• Appleseed Joint Ambulance District in the Arlington area is asking voters to replace a 0.6-mill, five-year levy to provide ambulance services and support operating expenses. The owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $18.37 annually.

• Cory-Rawson School District is asking voters to approve a 4.95-mill, 29-year bond issue to generate $6.3 million to help pay for construction of a new pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade building.

Voters will also be asked to approve a 0.5-mill levy to pay for maintenance of the new building.

Combined, the taxes would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $165 annually.

The new building would be constructed at the high school campus at 3930 Hancock County 26, near Rawson. Cory-Rawson Elementary School, at 220 S. Main St. in Rawson, would be torn down.

• Union Township, southwest of Findlay, is asking voters to approve a renewal of a 2-mill, five-year levy for fire protection. It would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $61 annually.

• Arlington is asking voters to replace a 2.5-mill, five-year levy for fire equipment and firefighters. The owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $77 annually.

• Jenera is asking voters to replace a 4-mill, five-year levy for current expenses. The owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay $123 annually.

• Mount Blanchard is asking voters to renew a 5-mill, five-year levy for current expenses. It would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $153 annually.



Liquor issues

The Wal-Mart on Findlay's Tiffin Avenue is asking residents of the 2-F Precinct to approve the sale of wine and "mixed beverages" from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.

The Wal-Mart on Trenton Avenue is asking residents of the 5-A Precinct to approve the sale of wine and "mixed beverages" from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.



Candidate races

In Findlay, all councilmen seeking re-election face no competition except for K.C. Collette, in the 3rd Ward, and J. Randal Van Dyne in the 2nd Ward. Collette, a Republican, will face independent candidate James Routson. Republican Van Dyne will compete with Democrat Jeff Detmer.

Republican James D. Staschiak is running unopposed for city treasurer.

All villages in Hancock County have four council seats up for election, and all townships have two trustee positions up for grabs.

Arlington, Benton Ridge, Mount Blanchard, Mount Cory and Rawson also have one seat open on the Board of Public Affairs, which oversees the sewer system.

Benton Ridge has a crowded ballot, with six people seeking four open seats on Village Council.

Longtime Benton Ridge Mayor Marvin Kennedy said some in the village of 315 may think "it's time for change."

Council members illegally voted to increase their pay in 2004 and 2005 to $100 per regular meeting and $75 per special meeting. The state auditor's office later ordered the six council members to repay $5,075 to the village.

Seven people are running for four seats on the councils in McComb and Arcadia, but only three candidates are seeking the four council seats in Arlington.

In one of the township races, three people are seeking to unseat Allen Township Trustees Kevin Flanagan and Ed Huffman. Both voted against an 85 percent, 15-year property tax break for a Home Depot warehouse on Aug. 4, to the disappointment of county and city economic leaders.

But last week they approved a less generous, 60 percent, 10-year tax break for Home Depot.

The three vying for the posts are Stacy Bishop, Tony Hiatt and Robert Wisner.



School boards

Every school board in Hancock County, except Findlay, has three seats up for election this year.

Findlay has two seats open and three candidates. Incumbents Barbara Dysinger and Shane Pochard will be competing with E. Jeffery Stephani.

Arcadia School District has seven people seeking three board seats, and Cory-Rawson School District has six people running.

The three incumbents on Liberty-Benton school board face no competition. But five people are seeking three seats on Riverdale's school board.

On the Net:

Visit www.thecourier.com for a PDF of the Nov. 3 ballot.



Malone: 419-427-8417,

Send an e-mail to Mary Kate Malone
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2 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
J wrote:
Federal Money
“ Lets not forget how dependent the city is on Federal money that most likely will not be available in the future. How is the city going to make up this lost revenue? Job,wage and benefit cuts for government employees or more taxes on home owners and the middle class. ”
Sunday, August 23, 2009 12:46:30 AM
JimC wrote:
Unbelievable
“ So in Findlay, we will get hit with three quarter's of a percent sales tax increase AND roughly 1.1% increase in property taxes. Let's not forget that Obama's social program bills will come due soon! ”
Saturday, August 22, 2009 11:13:07 AM
   NEWS VIDEO

Benton Ridge Shooting

This video, released by the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, shows the shooting of a Lima man who led authorities on a three-county chase ending Aug.24 in Benton Ridge. Be cautioned, the video contains graphic content.
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“ sick of the whiners...kenton has more drugs than findlay ?how would you know that unless your involved in the drug scene?I love... ” Read More...
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tired of this wrote in article "Shooting video":
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“ Well leave it to the courier to keep sterring the pot. The video that the courier itself posted clearly shows the suspect jump o... ” Read More...
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just sayin wrote in article "Heroin outbreak":
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retired OH cop in MT wrote in article "Shooting video released":
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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.