Poland Village seeks voter approval of forest levy

Staff report

POLAND

The village is seeking a new levy in the November general election.

Village voters will see on their ballots a 0.25-mill levy for maintenance of Poland Municipal Forest.

The levy would generate $14,335 annually and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $8.75 per year. The village would begin receiving tax revenue from the levy in 2019, and would use the money for upkeep of the forest.

“Over the past four or five years at least, the woods have become more of a financial burden to the village,” said Mayor Tim Sicafuse.

He said the village budgets about $250 per year for the forest, but village employees increasingly have been required to complete maintenance projects in the forest. There is a charitable foundation that supports the forest, and Sicafuse said the foundation will continue to provide funding for larger-scale capital improvements.

“They’re here for the big stuff. But there still is an issue I think we have to address of how to pay for the forest,” he said.

Mark Thompson, a member of the forest board, said the board has identified several projects it would like to conduct.

A top priority, he said, is trail and roadway improvements. Officials framed it as a safety issue, saying emergency vehicles need to be able to use the roadways and trails.

If a forest levy is approved, the forest board would plan projects and come to village council for approval. Officials said approved volunteers, contractors and village employees would conduct the work (the forest fund would reimburse the village for the cost of having employees conduct work in the forest).

“People use it [the forest],” Sicafuse said.

“We don’t have a way to fund it properly, so that’s why we feel the need to put this on the ballot.”