MRDD levy removed from March ballot

LISBON — The Columbiana County commissioners on Monday formally removed a levy for the county Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities from the March primary ballot.

The MRDD board also voted Wednesday to remove the levy from the ballot after questions were raised about the board’s finances.

Voters had already approved a levy in the 2007 primary that will bring in about $1 million more this year for MRDD.

Voters in November then rejected a 2.5-mill levy ballot that would have generated an added $3.3 million a year. That issue was then placed back on the ballot by the commissioners at the request of the MRDD.

The MRDD is a county agency and must get approval from the commissioners to put an issue before voters.

The MRDD, however, ended 2007 with a balance of $6.3 million, which is about half its annual spending.

William Devon, the board’s superintendent, took responsibility for the figures that he had said showed the need for additional revenue.

The commissioners removed the levy from the ballot during their mandatory reorganization meeting Monday.

The MRDD says it also has about $3 million outside of the county’s accounts it says is earmarked for care of its clients after the clients’ parents pass away.

The county MRDD board has also voted to spend $40,000 for a performance audit, which may take about five months to complete.