Trustees approve fire levy using 2024 valuations

by Dan Holland

Dec. 7 township trustees meeting & Dec. 14 special meeting

Over two meetings Richfield Township Trustees received certification to place a continuing fire levy on the March, 2024 ballot. The Summit County re-appraisals of properties will be in effect in 2024.

“The county is using the 2024 valuations, but they’re giving us that certificate [to place the levy on the ballot] in 2023,” Lott continued. “The deadline for filing and getting all resolutions in for the March 19 ballot is Dec. 20, so even though the deadline is this year, they’re allowing us to use 2024 valuations.”

The levy will have a decrease from the current 2.85 mills to 2.66 mills, Lott explained. It will also be a continuing levy rather than the three-year levy renewal cycle that had been in place.

“The advantage is that voters won’t have to keep renewing the levy every three years,” said Lott. “They’re voting on it for 2024, so it will keep the 2024 valuation from here on out. It would be years down the road before they would need to revisit it. It’s good for everyone all around, as it spreads it out over any new bills, so people end up paying less over time.”

“The replacement levy, with decreased millage from 2.85 to 2.66, is a good thing and takes some of the sting out of the high reappraisals we all received,” Trustee Vice-Chair Don Laubacher told The Richfield Times. “I’m excited this will become a continuing levy versus a three-year levy, as residents won’t need to vote on it nearly as often. In addition, continuing levies protect residents from tax increases caused by Summit County’s reappraisals every three years. This is because Ohio law freezes property values to the value when the levy is passed. Our police levy, which was passed in 2014, is a continuing levy and provides a good example of both advantages.”

Parks

Laubacher requested a motion to draft a letter of support for Friends of Richfield Heritage Preserve as a component of the group’s application for a federal “Save America’s Treasures” grant to apply toward restoration work on Kirby’s Mill.

“The Friends of RHP have been renovating Kirby’s Mill, which is a very expensive project,” Laubacher explained. “So, they want to apply for a $125,000 federal grant that they then have to match with their own funds. They have their own funds set aside, so they’re looking for letters of support for that grant. We’re just writing a letter of support from the township.”

Trustees approved the motion.

In other action on Dec. 7, trustees:

  • appointed of Laubacher as trustee liaison to the Joint Economic Development District and promoted Don Rentz to assistant service department foreman.
  • approved payment of $3,424 to Richfield Village per the JEDD property tax agreement.
  • appointed Hamid Homaee as a full member of the board of zoning appeals with a term expiring Dec. 31, 2028.
  • appointed Charles E. Harris to prepare the 2023 annual township financial report in an amount not to exceed $1,000.
  • increased a purchase order for $646 to Bay Pointe Technology for monthly ID services.
  • approved attendance and travel expenses for fiscal officer-elect Vik Sanduh to attend the Ohio Township Association winter conference from Feb. 7-9, 2024. Sanduh will assume office April 1.
  • appointed Kendall Jarrell as part-time zoning inspector.
  • removed the township’s ARPA Coronavirus Local Recovery Fund.
  • approved payment of $3,625 to the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation as a then-and-now certificate for the 2024 coverage year. ∞