Council considers replacing police levy
Revenue stream was first set in the 1980s
Council heard recommendations to replace a roughly 30-year-old levy funding the police department. Photo by BOB MOREHEAD
CRESTON – The village will be looking to replace an aging police levy in November, council decided at the June 5 meeting.

The police department gets a lot of its money from a pair of 5-mill levies passed in the 1980s. One draws $38,000 per year and the other $69,000. Because voted levies don’t increase with property values, the $38,000 levy is collecting a little over one-fourth of a current 5-mill levy.

Since the levies are so old, replacing them would mean a significant jump. Each one, replaced, would collect $142,900.

“At first I thought if we replace them both, look at all the money we’d get for our police department,” Mayor William Armentrout said. “Then I realized, ‘Oh my God! Over $100 in taxes to the homeowners! I’ll be impeached!”

Armentrout said that while the department could certainly use the money replacing both would bring, he and the Finance Committee opted to replace the older levy. This will collect $135 per year from a $100,000 home.

To send this to the voters, council must pass two ordinances, one asking the county auditor to certify the rates and the other putting it on November’s ballot. All must be completed before Aug. 9. Voters would then decide the matter Nov. 7.

Council approved hiring Colton Steinbrenner on as a part-time police officer at $11 per hour, effective June 18. Steinbrenner had been working as an auxiliary officer to this point.

Left with only two employees in the service department between meetings, Armentrout informed council he’d taken it upon himself to hire James Benson Jr. as a part-time street worker at $10 per hour.

“I considered it an emergency,” Armentrout said. “We had no help.”

Council expressed no objection.

Councilman Thomas Phillips reported that his committee was recommending the village stay with the Ohio Plan for liability and casualty insurance at $21,176 per year. Council approved the recommendation.

Councilman Marlin Hostettler reported Santa’s Workshop would be moving back to the community center after spending last year at Murray Hall. The date will be Dec. 9, the time to be determined later.

Hostettler said the community children’s Halloween party will be Oct. 29 at the community center, that time also to be determined.

Council’s next meeting will be Monday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the village hall.