TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2000
Sycamore voters face renewal levy
By Vicki Hunker
Staff Writer
Sycamore voters will be deciding whether or not to renew a five-year, 6-mill levy to cover village expenses.
Mayor Bryan Clouse said the levy generates about $39,000 per year. It costs the owner of a $50,000 house about $100 per year.
Clouse said the money is placed in the village's general fund to pay expenses such as police salaries, equipment purchases, park worker recycling salaries, street paving, swimming pool expenses and other general expenses.
If voters don't approve the renewal, Clouse said village council and the finance committee would have to determine how they could make up that money because it's already in the budget for next year.
He said the village has been tapping into saved funds during the past few years to cover expenses without asking for a tax increase.
In addition, voters throughout the county will be voting on a five-year four-tenths-mill renewal to maintain services through the Wyandot County Council on Aging.
Director Jerry Everhart said the $102,000 per year generated by the levy provides funding for services to residents ages 60 and older who need them, including home-delivered meals and meals at congregate sites in Carey, Upper Sandusky and Sycamore.
In addition, the money provides transportation and homemaker services and assists with programs such as information referral.
"We hope to be able to keep up with the level of services we're providing," Everhart said. There will be no money to provide new services.
He said senior citizens are the fastest-growing segment of the population.
For example, he said in 1996 the Council on Aging was providing 53 home-delivered meals and currently is providing 93 meals.
"We've also doubled the number of homemaker clients from 27 (in 1996) to 55 (currently)," he said. "The requests are continuing to increase as the needs arise."