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Move gives more chances to pass funding for police, fire, roads

Mentor-on-the-Lake voters will see three tax-related charter amendments on the November ballot.

City Council on April 10 unanimously approved legislation authorizing the renewal of charter amendment levies so that Council has the right to continue levying the following taxes for five years:

• 1.1 mills for fire department equipment and operations • 1.5 mills for police equipment and operations

• 1.2 mills for road construction and repair

The three levies generate roughly $465,000 annually. Together, they cost taxpayers $133 a year per $100,000 in home value, according to the Lake County Auditor’s Office.

“Without those funds, we would not be able to repair any roads, maintain current staffing levels in the fire department or provide new vehicles and equipment for the police department,” Administration and Finance Director Hollie Bartone said. “Failure of these levies would force cuts in all three departments, resulting in a reduction to basic services.”

The charter amendments first were passed by voters in 2014 and granted Council the authority to levy the taxes.

The issues planned for the fall election will not increase taxes, officials said.

The existing levies are good through 2019.

“We decided to put these on the ballot this year instead of waiting until November 2019,” Mayor David Eva said. “If we waited until next November and they were not renewed, they would expire. This way, in theory, we have three chances to have the voters approve the renewals prior to expiration — this November, May 2019 and November 2019.

“We are all optimistic they will be renewed by the Mentor-on-the-Lake voters this November.”

Council still would need to vote on the millage after the election.

“Every year, Council approves the millage we have in Mentor-on-the Lake,” Eva said. “If all three are passed by the voters in November, Council will … approve the (city’s) total millage, which would include the charter levies.”

The levies would remain in effect through 2023.

“These renewals are important because they will allow us to maintain our staffing levels for both the police and fire departments along with providing the necessary training and equipment needed to perform their job duties,” Eva said. “The annual road program would not exist without this renewal. Our partnership with the city of Mentor has worked well with lowering the cost of road repairs, allowing us to do more repairs annually.

“As a city, we are stable, financially. We continue to work well with City Council identifying future financial needs.”