Trumbull MetroParks will ask voters in November for first levy

Staff report

WARREN

The Trumbull County MetroParks Board voted this week to ask county voters in November to approve its first levy. It will be 0.6 mills and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $21 per year.

The levy will raise about $2 million per year, which the MetroParks would use to address a growing list of maintenance needs, most of them dealing with the Western Reserve Greenway, the county’s bike and hike trail.

One of the key projects is the repaving of the trail, which would cost $3 million, said Zach Svette, MetroParks executive director.

Parts of the trail in Bristol Township are experiencing problems with heaving and bumps caused by drainage and tree roots, especially north of state Route 88. There also are some raised areas in the southern part of Bristol Township that are marked with bright colored paint to alert riders.

The MetroParks also has deferred action to fix erosion issues around the historic stone bridge over Baughman Creek in Bristol Township and has posted barriers along the edge of the trail to keep people from the eroded area. The main reason for not making those repairs is money, Svette said.

The MetroParks would also like to make it possible for the public to have greater access to some of its 1,000 acres of MetroParks land.

“We want to maintain what we have and start looking at recreation and quality of life issues and developing those,” Svette said.

Svette is the MetroParks’ only employee. He is paid out of the MetroParks $95,000 annual budget, which comes from the county commissioners. Svette said one concern is that the $95,000 could be cut altogether in the event the commissioners deem they can no longer afford it.