The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Levy approval lauded as key success
As the year comes to a close, the News-Herald is looking at how communities fared in 2017 and what some of their plans are for 2018.
Madison Township trustees agree that residents voting to pass a replacement road levy was top on their list of 2017 accomplishments.
“The passage of a 2-mill replacement road levy on May 2, 2017 by a 63 percent to 37 percent vote was a very important accomplishment,” reads a question-and-answer e-mail exchange with township trustees Max Anderson, Jr., Kenneth R. Gauntner, Jr., Peter V. Wayman and moderated by township administrator Tim Brown. “It was the first time a road levy has been changed or replaced in 32 years in Madison Township.”
The trustees said the levy’s passage will give the township the funding it needs to address the roads in need of repair. They added that the funds are earmarked specifically for the roughly 53 ½ miles of road the township, itself, maintains. It is not to be used for the more than 50 miles of road throughout Madison township that are maintained by Lake County.
“Another accomplishment of the past year was Madison Township partnering with the Lake County Port Authority to address severe erosion issues at Stanton Park. The Port Authority, on behalf of the township, received $300,000 in State of Ohio Capital Funds to put toward addressing erosion issues at the park,” The trustees’ e-mail reads. “That funding, along with $480,000 of money that the township received back in 1998 from federal transportation act funds, will be put toward erosion issues in 2018. Whereas, these funds will go a long way in addressing the erosion issues and bank stabilization problems at Stanton Park more funding will likely be needed to address all of the issues.”
As is the case with many area communities, a major hurdle the township faced in 2017 was the lack of state funding for various initiatives, trustees report.
“The biggest challenge continues to be the loss of local government funding from the State of Ohio,” The trustees report. “The Township continues to grow and the demand for services continues to increase when there are no funding mechanisms, outside of property taxes, and levies for the Township form of government to generate revenue.”
According to the township’s numbers, “the State of Ohio has cut over $500,000 in revenues to the township in the past 6 years. This cut in revenue has greatly affected funding that is much needed for day to day operations, as well as the maintenance and capital improvements for our five parks and seven cemeteries.”
Trustees pledged to work diligently and with care to manage its financial resources judiciously, however.
“As a township, our funding sources are extremely limited,” they stated. “Madison Township is basically a bedroom community with very little light manufacturing or business to support our tax base. We will continue to provide the best services we possibly can with the limited funds available to us. Madison Township is one of the largest townships in the State of Ohio geographically. Stretching our revenues to service such a large expanse of township is very challenging.” With an eye toward 2018, trustees indicate the major projects the township has on tap for the new year include:
• The re-paving of Dock Road north of Lake Road, and the resurfacing of Cunningham Road with a 50/50 grant received from the Ohio Public Works Commission
• The stabilization of the bluff and erosion at Stanton Park will be a major project in 2018.
• To renovate and upgrade the restrooms located inside the Banquet Hall at Stanton Park with the Community Development Block Grant funds that were awarded from the county commissioners.
Some other noteworthy goals the township has in mind for next year include:
• Complete a comprehensive capital improvement plan for the five township parks that looks at five years and beyond goals. Also, a means to acquire funds through grants or other means to address aging park facilities.
• Implement a vehicle replacement plan for the aged fleet of Service Department Vehicles. The township has not purchased a new truck for the Service Department since 2013, and vehicles are getting old and worn out.
• To have ongoing discussions with the county commissioners to extend sanitary sewers along the Route. 20 business corridor to encourage economic growth.
The trustees elaborated on the sewer issue: “Our SR. 20 business corridor does not grow because only about (20 percent) of the corridor has sanitary sewers. Without sanitary sewers in place businesses such as restaurants cannot locate along Route. 20. The sanitary sewer system is controlled by the Lake County Commissioners, and not the Township Trustees. Without the County Commissioners help the townships economic growth will remain very stagnate. Economic growth is the best way the township can increase our revenue stream.”
Finally, the administration is pledging to maintain its vigilance in pursuing more funding options through 2018 and beyond and labor to maintain an acceptable level of service for its residents, visitors and businesses.
“We will continue to explore every opportunity we have to acquire grants and other sources of funding to help our revenue stream” the trustees confirm. “At the same time we will strive to keep our operational costs at a minimum, and our services adequate.”