Library to ask commissioners for tax levy

Voters rejected a 1-mill levy last November.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners received a resolution from the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library for a 0.6-mill additional continuing levy on the May 2 primary ballot.
Interim Auditor Adrian Biviano said the levy would raise $2.3 million annually and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $18 per year.
The library trustees approved a resolution of necessity for the levy earlier this month. The library board must pass another resolution to reaffirm the necessity and ask the county commissioners to put the levy on the ballot.
Commissioners have until Feb. 16 to pass their resolution, and present it to the county board of elections.
Robert D. Briell, library director, said if the levy passes the library system would begin collecting the new revenue in January 2007.
Voters defeated a 1-mill additional continuing levy Nov. 8. Briell said the new levy is needed to pay for more books and computers as the library system faces 5.2 percent annual cuts in state funding over the next four years.
Library officials have dropped plans to build a new branch in Cortland on land the library owns. If the May levy fails, Briell said cuts in library staff and hours will be inevitable.
Other business
In other action, commissioners:
UAuthorized Commissioner James Tsagaris to execute an agreement between the sheriff's department and cities of Niles and Warren for a $47,964 federal Edward Byrne Justice Assistant Program Grant. The money is used for purchases of law enforcement equipment, and technology purchases and upgrades.
UApproved a reimbursable extension agreement with five property owners for their participation in the state Route 5-Ohio Turnpike ramp improvements and sanitary sewer project in Braceville Township. The five are ALRI Truck Stop, Econo Lodge, Budget Lodge, Jeff English and Ted Kolacz. Each will contribute $53,000 toward the sewer project and are eligible for reimbursement when others connect to the sanitary sewer line later.
UApproved the appointments of Ellen Dieter to the county library board of trustees for a seven-year term replacing Nick Macris; and Kurt Latell as a member of the county Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities board for a four-year term replacing Linda Tiihonen.