6.5-Mill AW School Levy Fails At The Ballot Box
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
Anthony Wayne-area voters dealt another blow to the school district by voting down a 6.5-mill levy request on Tuesday.
With 10,234 votes cast, the levy was defeated by 728 votes, with 5,481 voting no and 4,753 voting yes.
It’s the second time in the past year the district has turned to voters, who rejected a proposed 4.5-mill levy in May.
In May the 4.5-mill levy failed by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent. This week voters defeated the levy by a margin of 54 percent to 46 percent.
The proposed levy included the renewal of an existing 3.25-mill levy from November 2003 as well as a new 3.25-mill levy to generate $6 million over five years to operate the district.
Superintendent Dr. John Granger said options for the district would be discussed during the Monday, March 10 board of education meeting. He declined further comment.
Because $1.6 million was cut from the district’s budget after the May failure, Granger has said that the next phase of cuts would be more severe and would include personnel attrition, reducing programs and services and passing costs on to the parents of schoolchildren.
Granger has said that a levy will most likely be placed on the ballot again until it passes.
The next Anthony Wayne board of education meeting will be on Monday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the district’s central office, 9565 Bucher Rd., Whitehouse.
Council Votes To Support Amendments To Ohio Energy Bill
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Maumee City Council passed a resolution supporting amendments to Senate Bill 221, the Ohio energy bill, in order to keep electric rate increases in our area in check.
The vote came during the March 3 council meeting following a recommendation by the public information committee, which had been considering the issue.
As it stands, the bill, which has passed the Ohio Senate and is now being considered by the House of Representatives, would lock in rates, forcing consumers in this area to continue paying some of the highest rates in the state – in some cases double that of other areas.
“This fact is frequently cited throughout the region as one of the reasons established businesses move from the area and prevents others from moving in,” said Michael Coyle, public information committee chair.
According to Lynn Olman, of the Alliance for Real Energy Options, a coalition of companies that market natural gas and electric service in Ohio and other states, the bill as written would extend transition costs that were set to expire in 2009, costing residents up to $600 per year.
Proposed amendments would let those costs expire and would allow consumers to choose their energy supplier.
“We’re encouraging the ability to enact a market rate-based plan, and that is one that allows those of us in the FirstEnergy territory to choose from among 40 registered competitors who want to sell us electricity,” Olman said.
Olman also said allowing competition among energy sources is similar to competition that takes place among gas or phone service suppliers.
“The more competition you have drives innovation and it creates lower rates,” he said.
According to Olman, the energy bill, proposed by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, offers two systems to allow areas in the state with low rates to lock in rates, while having an open market in other areas with high rates.
“The market rate option applies where competition exists, and the electric stabilization plan would be enacted where competition would not exist,” he said.
Referred to as a hybrid system, this two-system approach in Ohio is designed to prevent rate spikes in those areas that already have low rates.
The House public utility committee is currently hearing testimony regarding the bill, and it is expected that the House leader and the chairman of the public utilities committee will meet to decide which amendments to accept in modifying the bill.
In addition to Maumee, Toledo City Council, the Cuyahoga County commissioners and the city of Cleveland have also supported the resolution seeking amendments to the bill. Many other communities are also considering the resolution.
Also at the meeting, two new patrol officers were sworn into duty, bringing the Maumee Police Division up to capacity at 45 officers.
Greg Kuhlman of Rossford and Andrew Pollauf of Perrysburg will join the department pending results of required substance screenings and physical and psychological testing.
In other business at the meeting, council members:
• Approved the 2008 operating budget, which includes the purchase of eight new patrol cars.
• Approved property and liability insurance from the Ohio Plan at a rate of $174,602 annually for two years.
• Presented a check in the amount of $2,956.39 to the Maumee Senior Center. The funds were the proceeds from the 2007 Holiday Hustle 5K race.
• Approved a special use permit to allow alteration of an existing building at 6005 Monclova Rd.
• Approved a teacher and teacher coordinator contract for the 2008 Safety City program in the amount $4,676.
• Approved a $34,841 contract with Carl’s Nursery of Maumee for the tree planting program.
• Approved the appointments of Tyler Iwinski and Erick Kolbow for temporary laborer positions.
• Approved an amendment in the audit agreement with the state auditor in the amount of $1,960.