Fairfield County anti-addiction levy narrowly passes

After a night of anxiety and slim margins, the Fairfield County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health levy was narrowly approved — for now.

The levy, a 1- mill, 10- year property tax, passed with 50.2 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results with all precincts tallied.

The margin of victory was 242 votes, with some absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted.

If the levy is ultimately approved, residents will pay $35 more each year per $100,000 of home valuation.

Rhonda Myers, Fairfield County ADAMH executive director, said the board is cautiously optimistic about the levy’s passage, though provisional ballots still to be counted and the results still need to be certified.

The Fairfield County Board of Elections has 1,259 provisional ballots yet to be counted and more than 2,000 absentee ballots still outstanding, which may or may not be counted depending on the postmark date.

If the margin of votes for the levy is less than 0.5 percent, there will be an automatic recount. The current vote differential would trigger the automatic recount.

Myers said the ADAMH board is “extremely grateful” for the support they have received from community leaders and members who have recognized the work ADAMH is doing.

The levy will be collected for the first time in 2019 and the funds would become available to the organization in 2020.

Myers said there will be four main focus areas for the new funding: expanded mental health services for youth, addressing the opioid epidemic, suicide prevention and education, and providing support for family members of those suffering from addiction and mental- health issues.

The new funding will also help sustain a short-term withdrawal center, which will be funded initially through a $500,000 grant, Myers said.

The election results have to be certified by Nov. 27.

For complete results visit the secretary of state’s office website at www. sos. state. oh. us.

All results reported are unofficial and provided by county boards of elections.