Liberty trustees to seek levy on May ballot

By Linda Linonis

The trustees and administrator will speak to Liberty organizations about how the levy would benefit the township.

LIBERTY — Liberty Township trustees voted to put a 2-mill capital-improvement levy on the May 4 ballot.

Jodi Stoyak and Jason Rubin voted at a special session Friday for the measure, at the second reading of the resolution. Stan Nudell was out of town but had supported the resolution at the first reading Feb. 8.

The levy would be for five years, and collection would begin in 2011.

“It will generate some $458,144 a year,” said Pat Ungaro, township administrator, if the measure is approved by voters. For every $100,000 of assessed value, the property owner would pay an additional $6 per month.

Ungaro said he wanted to make it clear that the funds would be used for infrastructure improvements and specifically roads, waterlines and sewer lines and for matching grants.

“It’s not for personnel, payroll or pay raises,” he emphasized.

Stoyak said the township is mandated by the Ohio Revised Code to resurface roads but hasn’t had the money. “It’s the job of the township to maintain roads,” she said. The township of 13,500 residents has 61 miles of roads.

Stoyak credited Ungaro for his expertise in being able to get grant dollars. But the sticking point has been the fact that the township hasn’t been able to come up with the necessary matching funds.

Ungaro said the township has secured a $1 million grant for waterlines on Logan Avenue. But the township doesn’t have its share of matching funds, so the project has not moved forward.

If township voters pass the levy, it will give the trustees and administration the funds for matching grants on such projects. “The money is out there ... we have to come up with a small share,” Ungaro said of grants.

Rubin said it is the township’s responsibility to improve the infrastructure and to attract growth. “I’m very budget-oriented,” he said, noting that attracting the right growth to the township would then contribute to the tax base.

Ungaro said a planned $180,000 retention pond project on Belmont Avenue by the Goodwill store would benefit if the levy is passed. The township would contribute $80,000 to the effort and the remainder is a grant.

“This would help stop the flooding problem,” he said of the first of eight projects planned to solve the flooding problem.

Another instance, he said, is a $1.4 million project on Shady Road to put in sidewalks by the school and renovate the bridge. The township has to supply $25,000. Work will start this summer.

Ungaro said he and the trustees will be speaking at meetings of Liberty organizations to explain how the capital improvement levy would benefit the township.