By Sarah Lehr

slehr@vindy.com

LIBERTY

Trustees voted this week to use police and fire levy revenue to cover collective-bargaining costs for those departments.

Previously, the township had been using the general fund to cover those fees, which are about $30,000 once every three years, said Fiscal Officer Steve Shelton.

The measure could alleviate the burden on the township’s general fund, which ended November with a negative $161,314 balance. The police and fire funds ended the month with positive balances of $156,989.39 and $245,687.31, respectively.

The township has been in fiscal caution since 2013.

The change in how the township pays collective-bargaining costs was made possible because of Ohio House Bill 413, which became law in September.

Among other provisions, the legislation allows taxing units to use the proceeds of emergency service levies to cover costs, including those tied to collective bargaining, related to those services.

The Ohio Township Association had lobbied for passage of the omnibus bill. Several provisions in the law, such as allowing townships to charge for recycling, increase the authority of townships.

Additionally, trustees voted to distribute 80 percent of tow-yard revenue from the general fund to a specific tow fund for the police department and to distribute 70 percent of speed-camera revenue from the general fund to the police fund.

Since it began issuing civil citations from a handheld speed camera this August, the township has collected $40,850 total.

In other business, trustees increased 2016 appropriations by $100,000 for the general fund; $75,000 for the police fund; $63,200 for the public works fund; and $1,000 for the permanent improvements fund due to increased revenues. Shelton said the additional earnings came from the speed camera, tow yard and a modest uptick in real-estate tax collection.

The board approved about $4 million, including $500,000 for the general fund, in temporary 2017 appropriations to cover the first three months of next year. Shelton estimated the 2017 budget would be about $6.5 million, which is roughly equivalent to 2016.