Published: Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Campbell voters reject sale of water plant
Voters backed a pair of levies in the Cardinal Joint Fire District.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL — Mayor John Dill said it will be back to square one in the municipality's attempt to sell its water treatment plant and distribution system.
"We will start all over again," Dill said after the defeat of a referendum Tuesday asking voters to decide if the plant should be sold to Aqua Ohio.
People seemed disinterested in the issue, Dill said, noting he held a series of four informational meetings on the subject, which all drew poor public attendance.
The mayor and city council had voiced strong support for the sale, arguing that it would resolve Campbell's financial woes with a $3 million up-front payment followed by $300,000 a year for 10 years. Aqua would also pick up the $4.2 million in debt on the plant and put $100,000 a year into system improvements.
Council approved the sale to Aqua in November 2005 but a Let Us Vote Committee forced the city to agree to a referendum to let voters decide the fate of the plant.
Dill said he intends to start the entire process anew, starting with again advertising the plant for sale. The referendum specifically dealt with a sale to Aqua, and new legislation will be required to bring the matter up again, he said.
Campbell voters also turned down a 3-mill, five-year property tax levy that was to be used for street resurfacing and storm water system improvements, as well as a referendum that would have allowed the city to look at contracting with another municipality or fire district to provide fire protection services within the city.
Fire levies pass
Voters in Canfield and Canfield Township approved a pair of tax levies for the Cardinal Joint Fire District, agreeing to pay 0.42 mills for five years for operating expenses and 1.1 mill in a continuing levy for equipment and buildings.
The operating levy will produce $195,468 annually while the equipment and building levy will produce $511,941 annually.
It means the department can continue with the same normal level of operations and services that it now provides, said Andrew Skrobola, a member of the fire district board.
The equipment levy will enable the department to replace an aging pumper that no longer meets firefighting standards, an expense expected to reach about $500,000, he said.
It will also allow the continuous replacement of equipment as needed to meet the needs of a growing community, he said.
Canfield Township votes rejected a zoning proposal that would have changed the zoning designation of 39 acres on Gibson Road from agriculture to planned unit development.
Residents in the affected area objected to what they said would be overcrowding in their neighborhood.
Voters OK police levy
Voters in Austintown approved a 3.2-mill replacement levy for the township police department.
The levy will generate $815,000 a year for new cars and manpower.
It's a combination of two existing levies that will restore the millage of the two to what it was before growth in the township drove it down. By restoring the millage to its pre-growth amount, the levy will actually raise taxes.
For example a homeowner with a $100,000 house will pay an additional $48 in taxes annually.
"We are elated," said Lisa Oles, chairman of the township board of trustees.
Passage of the levy means a safer community for everyone, she said.
gwin@vindy.com
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Voters backed a pair of levies in the Cardinal Joint Fire District.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL — Mayor John Dill said it will be back to square one in the municipality's attempt to sell its water treatment plant and distribution system.
"We will start all over again," Dill said after the defeat of a referendum Tuesday asking voters to decide if the plant should be sold to Aqua Ohio.
People seemed disinterested in the issue, Dill said, noting he held a series of four informational meetings on the subject, which all drew poor public attendance.
The mayor and city council had voiced strong support for the sale, arguing that it would resolve Campbell's financial woes with a $3 million up-front payment followed by $300,000 a year for 10 years. Aqua would also pick up the $4.2 million in debt on the plant and put $100,000 a year into system improvements.
Council approved the sale to Aqua in November 2005 but a Let Us Vote Committee forced the city to agree to a referendum to let voters decide the fate of the plant.
Dill said he intends to start the entire process anew, starting with again advertising the plant for sale. The referendum specifically dealt with a sale to Aqua, and new legislation will be required to bring the matter up again, he said.
Campbell voters also turned down a 3-mill, five-year property tax levy that was to be used for street resurfacing and storm water system improvements, as well as a referendum that would have allowed the city to look at contracting with another municipality or fire district to provide fire protection services within the city.
Fire levies pass
Voters in Canfield and Canfield Township approved a pair of tax levies for the Cardinal Joint Fire District, agreeing to pay 0.42 mills for five years for operating expenses and 1.1 mill in a continuing levy for equipment and buildings.
The operating levy will produce $195,468 annually while the equipment and building levy will produce $511,941 annually.
It means the department can continue with the same normal level of operations and services that it now provides, said Andrew Skrobola, a member of the fire district board.
The equipment levy will enable the department to replace an aging pumper that no longer meets firefighting standards, an expense expected to reach about $500,000, he said.
It will also allow the continuous replacement of equipment as needed to meet the needs of a growing community, he said.
Canfield Township votes rejected a zoning proposal that would have changed the zoning designation of 39 acres on Gibson Road from agriculture to planned unit development.
Residents in the affected area objected to what they said would be overcrowding in their neighborhood.
Voters OK police levy
Voters in Austintown approved a 3.2-mill replacement levy for the township police department.
The levy will generate $815,000 a year for new cars and manpower.
It's a combination of two existing levies that will restore the millage of the two to what it was before growth in the township drove it down. By restoring the millage to its pre-growth amount, the levy will actually raise taxes.
For example a homeowner with a $100,000 house will pay an additional $48 in taxes annually.
"We are elated," said Lisa Oles, chairman of the township board of trustees.
Passage of the levy means a safer community for everyone, she said.
gwin@vindy.com
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Mayor John Dill said it will be back to square one in the municipality's attempt to sell its water treatment plant and...
More Stories from Sun, Nov 12, 2006
