Commissioners only want information on levy

A request for information on how much a levy would generate has commissioners determined to make sure putting it on the ballot is not a done deal.

At their May 26 meeting the commissioners asked through a motion to the auditor’s office what a 2-mill levy would bring in with the idea of it going to the EMS. Then that would free up money for the sheriff’s office. Right now EMS and the sheriff get their revenue from the general fund dedicated to emergency services.

“The EMS would know what they were getting each year and so would the sheriff,” commissioner Bill Pratt said.

However, to get that information the commissioners must make the request in a certain format according to the Ohio Revised Code. Part of that is to state the date the levy would be put on the ballot.

Because of that commission president Les Boggs voted against making a second request at Thursday’s meeting. The resolution did pass.

“They are telling us to say what date it would be placed on the ballot,” Boggs said. “No one said it would be on the ballot. That is ridiculous.”

Now the required resolution will have the wording, “if it is placed on the ballot.”

“We are just asking what the revenue would be,” Pratt said.

Besides giving the EMS a definite amount of revenue each year, the levy could fund an EMS station on State Route 93. Right now Ironton covers that area.

In other action the commission:

• Approved sick time donation from one employee to another;

• Accepted the termination of part-time EMT Greg Taylor and full-time EMT Lisa Dreher;

• Received correspondence from Ohio Secretary of State concerning Senate Bill 63 to allow Ohioans to register to vote online;

• Referred a petition to the county engineer to vacate Andrew Alley in Fayette Township that has not be used since 1954;

• Received dog warden report for May 7 where one dog was euthanized, 23 were adopted or went to rescue and none were redeemed; for May 14 where one dog was euthanized, 30 were adopted or went to rescue and none were redeemed; for May 21 where none were euthanized, five were adopted or went to rescue and one was redeemed; for May 28 where eight dogs were euthanized, 60 were adopted or went to rescue and none were redeemed.