Extension asks for .45-mill levy
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
After delaying an initial request for a .4-mill tax levy for the Ohio
State University/Highland County Extension last week, the Highland County
Board of Commissioners approved a .45-mill levy for the agency for the May 4
primary election.
Commissioners had agreed to hold off on an initial resolution after
Extension Director Rose Fisher Merkowitz said the .4-mill levy wouldn’t
raise sufficient funds.
On Wednesday, commissioners voted 2-0 in favor of sending the .45-mill
levy to voters. Commissioners Tom Horst and Gary Heaton voted in favor of
the resolution. Commission President Shane Wilkin was absent in order to be
with his wife, Kristy, for the birth of their daughter.
“We are part of the process to get the levy to voters,” Heaton said.
“Because of the economy, we couldn’t fund the agency to the level we used
to. Agriculture is still the No. 1 economy in
Highland County and Extension supports that economy.”
Both Heaton and Horst stressed that the levy idea was brought to them by
the Extension’s levy committee and they were obligated to vote on the
resolution.
The stated purpose of the levy is to provide additional funds for the
support of the Ohio State University Extension, Highland County, to continue
to provide programs including, but not limited to, 4-H Youth Development,
Agriculture,
Family and Consumer Science and Community Development for the residents of
Highland County at a rate up to and not to exceed 0.45 mills for each dollar
of valuation for a period of five tax years commencing with the tax year
2010 and ending with the tax year 2014. Levy funds will be deposited in a
“Pass Through Account” in the Highland County Treasury and supervised by the
Auditor of Highland County.
Tim Sheeley, who serves as the public relations chair for the levy
committee, also attended Wednesday’s meeting.
“We hope that Ohio State University will take a greater responsibility
in funding Extension,” Heaton said. “We want the 4-H program to continue. We
support 4-H. But as commissioners, we are asking everyone to do more with
less.”
n Commissioners also met with County Auditor Bill Fawley and Chuck
Biggert, superintendent of Highland County Developmental Disabilities,
regarding ongoing concerns over the Help Me Grow budget.
Commissioners, who recently named Danielle Ratcliff, coordinator for
Highland County Family and Children First Council, as the interim
administrator for the Help Me Grow program, were told Wednesday there were
insufficient funds to pay all of the program’s current bills.
“Some of the bills will not get paid right away, correct?” Fawley asked.
“Correct,” Heaton said.
Commissioners continued to express frustration with the Ohio Department
of Health over fund reimbursements from the state.
“They (the Ohio Department of Health) don’t respond to me,” Biggert
said.
“They don’t respond to us, either,” Heaton said.
Commissioners said another call would be placed to Laura Friedman to
check on the reimbursements. Friedman is a Help Me Grow program consultant
with the Ohio Department of Health.
Fawley said the county is waiting for more than $100,000 in
reimbursements from the state. A $45,000 payment is expected this month.
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, all
by 2-0 votes:
n The authorization of additional appropriation to the Victim Witness
budget (T-7) as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to donations, in the
amount of $500.
n The authorization of additional appropriation to the Victim Witness
budget (T-7) as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Court Fines and Fees,
in the amount of $98.40.
n The agreement to designate FRS, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of FRS
Counseling, Inc.) as grantee to the CY 2011 Ohio Coordination Program.
n Whereas, a corporation known as the Alternatives to Violence Center
has made application to the Board of Highland County Commissioners for the
release of funds collected pursuant to Section 3113.34 of the Ohio Revised
Code, and whereas said corporation has presented to the Board of
Commissioners with the following: evidence that Alternatives to Violence
Center is incorporated in the State of Ohio as a non-profit cooperation; the
names of the trustees of the corporation; a copy of the proposed budget;
services to be offered monthly during the calendar year 2010; and an
estimate of the number of persons to be served during the calendar year
2010. Therefore, the Board of Highland County Commissioners finds that
Alternatives to Violence Center is eligible for funds and authorizes the
Highland County Auditor to make payments by the 15th day of January and by
the fifteenth day of July 2010 to Alternatives to Violence Center, located
at 135 North High St., Hillsboro.
n The authorization of additional appropriation to the Issue II (N-11)
budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Capital Improvements, Issue
II, Other, in the amount of $330,237.52.
n The authorization of a transfer to Soil & Water (L00) from the General
Fund as follows: from Transfers to Soil & Water, in the amount of $15,000.
n The creation of a new fund to be known as Prosecuting Attorney
Diversion Program (S-61) and authorize appropriation to said fund as
follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Other Expense, in the amount of
$5,000.
n The authorization of a transfer to Help Me Grow (County) (S-60) from
the Help Me Grow (pass-through fund) (S-26) as follows: from Help Me Grow,
Reimburse to Help Me Grow (County) in the amount of $2,205.26.[[In-content Ad]]
State University/Highland County Extension last week, the Highland County
Board of Commissioners approved a .45-mill levy for the agency for the May 4
primary election.
Commissioners had agreed to hold off on an initial resolution after
Extension Director Rose Fisher Merkowitz said the .4-mill levy wouldn’t
raise sufficient funds.
On Wednesday, commissioners voted 2-0 in favor of sending the .45-mill
levy to voters. Commissioners Tom Horst and Gary Heaton voted in favor of
the resolution. Commission President Shane Wilkin was absent in order to be
with his wife, Kristy, for the birth of their daughter.
“We are part of the process to get the levy to voters,” Heaton said.
“Because of the economy, we couldn’t fund the agency to the level we used
to. Agriculture is still the No. 1 economy in
Highland County and Extension supports that economy.”
Both Heaton and Horst stressed that the levy idea was brought to them by
the Extension’s levy committee and they were obligated to vote on the
resolution.
The stated purpose of the levy is to provide additional funds for the
support of the Ohio State University Extension, Highland County, to continue
to provide programs including, but not limited to, 4-H Youth Development,
Agriculture,
Family and Consumer Science and Community Development for the residents of
Highland County at a rate up to and not to exceed 0.45 mills for each dollar
of valuation for a period of five tax years commencing with the tax year
2010 and ending with the tax year 2014. Levy funds will be deposited in a
“Pass Through Account” in the Highland County Treasury and supervised by the
Auditor of Highland County.
Tim Sheeley, who serves as the public relations chair for the levy
committee, also attended Wednesday’s meeting.
“We hope that Ohio State University will take a greater responsibility
in funding Extension,” Heaton said. “We want the 4-H program to continue. We
support 4-H. But as commissioners, we are asking everyone to do more with
less.”
n Commissioners also met with County Auditor Bill Fawley and Chuck
Biggert, superintendent of Highland County Developmental Disabilities,
regarding ongoing concerns over the Help Me Grow budget.
Commissioners, who recently named Danielle Ratcliff, coordinator for
Highland County Family and Children First Council, as the interim
administrator for the Help Me Grow program, were told Wednesday there were
insufficient funds to pay all of the program’s current bills.
“Some of the bills will not get paid right away, correct?” Fawley asked.
“Correct,” Heaton said.
Commissioners continued to express frustration with the Ohio Department
of Health over fund reimbursements from the state.
“They (the Ohio Department of Health) don’t respond to me,” Biggert
said.
“They don’t respond to us, either,” Heaton said.
Commissioners said another call would be placed to Laura Friedman to
check on the reimbursements. Friedman is a Help Me Grow program consultant
with the Ohio Department of Health.
Fawley said the county is waiting for more than $100,000 in
reimbursements from the state. A $45,000 payment is expected this month.
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, all
by 2-0 votes:
n The authorization of additional appropriation to the Victim Witness
budget (T-7) as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to donations, in the
amount of $500.
n The authorization of additional appropriation to the Victim Witness
budget (T-7) as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Court Fines and Fees,
in the amount of $98.40.
n The agreement to designate FRS, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of FRS
Counseling, Inc.) as grantee to the CY 2011 Ohio Coordination Program.
n Whereas, a corporation known as the Alternatives to Violence Center
has made application to the Board of Highland County Commissioners for the
release of funds collected pursuant to Section 3113.34 of the Ohio Revised
Code, and whereas said corporation has presented to the Board of
Commissioners with the following: evidence that Alternatives to Violence
Center is incorporated in the State of Ohio as a non-profit cooperation; the
names of the trustees of the corporation; a copy of the proposed budget;
services to be offered monthly during the calendar year 2010; and an
estimate of the number of persons to be served during the calendar year
2010. Therefore, the Board of Highland County Commissioners finds that
Alternatives to Violence Center is eligible for funds and authorizes the
Highland County Auditor to make payments by the 15th day of January and by
the fifteenth day of July 2010 to Alternatives to Violence Center, located
at 135 North High St., Hillsboro.
n The authorization of additional appropriation to the Issue II (N-11)
budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Capital Improvements, Issue
II, Other, in the amount of $330,237.52.
n The authorization of a transfer to Soil & Water (L00) from the General
Fund as follows: from Transfers to Soil & Water, in the amount of $15,000.
n The creation of a new fund to be known as Prosecuting Attorney
Diversion Program (S-61) and authorize appropriation to said fund as
follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Other Expense, in the amount of
$5,000.
n The authorization of a transfer to Help Me Grow (County) (S-60) from
the Help Me Grow (pass-through fund) (S-26) as follows: from Help Me Grow,
Reimburse to Help Me Grow (County) in the amount of $2,205.26.[[In-content Ad]]