The township trustees had several options in dealing with the police levy that expires this year, and settled in June on asking voters to approve a renewal of the 3.75 mill levy — but also asking them to make it permanent — that costs $105 annually on a $100,000 home or $227 on $215,000, the median Ross Twp. home value.
Since the existing levy collects about $815,000 annually and the police budget runs $900,000 to $1 million, the trustees are also asking for an additional 1.5 mills — for five years — to support a truly full-time police force. It would collect an estimated $361,053 annually.
Trustee Keith Ballauer said there are obviously a couple different outcomes.
“If they both go down then we don’t have anything in the general fund to keep the doors open, we can’t cover the police department,” he said. “If just the renewal passes we can keep the doors open we’re just flat, there’s no growth in the police department in that situation.”
Ballauer said if the additional levy passes they would like to add two more officers so they can have two-per shift. There are eight full-time officers and one part-timer. Police Chief Burt Roberts has said they will be able to replace “antiquated” radios, squads with nearly 200,000 miles on them and buy investigative equipment, among other needs.
Fiscal Officer Julie Joyce-Smith told the Journal-News they have been able to make ends meet with carryover funds but without the additional levy “we’re going to continue to struggle” She said there are a number of factors that could impact the department’s ability to operate going forward, if voters turn down the request for more money.
They are facing a possible 40% health insurance hike and the cost to hire and keep staff has exploded because there is an extreme shortage of police officers. Joyce-Smith said the median 32% property value increase for the township could also have an impact tax collections. The proceeds from the existing levy will not increase as a result of the historic property value increases — voted levies collect the same for their entire lives — but the Ross Schools will see an increase commensurate with value hikes because of the 20-mill floor factor.
“If you know this is looming you have to think, well, we’re probably not going to get all of the $815,000,” she said. “Because foreclosures might be up, there might be slow paying (taxpayers) so you don’t get the money, so we kind of think about it when we’re budgeting.”
Trustees on ballot
The voters will also elect two new trustees. Ballauer is currently the only trustee who was elected to the board, trustees John Fisher and Russ McGurrin were both appointed to fill vacancies. McGurrin is running unopposed for the open four-year term and Dave Young is looking to unseat Fisher to fill the unexpired two-year term.
There has been a domino effect on the board since long-time trustee Tom Willsey died in April 2022. The trustees selected Jen Patterson to replace him. Then another veteran trustee Ellen Yordy resigned last December, there was one year left on her fifth term in office. Fisher moved into her seat.
Patterson left office May 31, after just a year to devote more time to her family, and McGurrin was picked to replace her. When there is a board vacancy the existing trustees choose a replacement. McGurrin and Young both threw their hats in the ring during all three appointment rounds.
Fisher, 55, was a county and township zoning board member before getting the nod as trustee. He is a health science advisor in the pharmaceutical industry.
Young, 73, served as a township trustee from 1987 to 2002 and was chief of the township’s Emergency Medical Services Department for five years before that. He retired as a vice president after working in various roles, at his grandfather’s company Young and Bertke Sheet Metal.
According to Young he wanted to run for the four-year term but McGurrin filed petitions for the seat first.
“I didn’t want to run against Russ because he and I think alike, we both have the same goals for the township...,” he said. “It’s not that I have anything against Fisher.”
After roughly a year in the office Fisher said he is proud of the fact he believes he has helped enhance communications between the township and the community and he’ll continue that.
He said the voters should pick him because he has been active in the community for many years.
“My community experience and engagement over the past 15 years, I think that is a distinct difference between me and the other person running,” he said. “Whether it’s been through committees or rural zoning bord I’ve been involved in the community.”
Ross is considered one of the prime areas for development in the county and the community has been deeply divided over development of the Burns Farm. Young said he is running in part because he disagreed with how previous trustees dealt with that and other issues. He said he is an “ultra conservative” who “thinks outside the box.”
“You have to think further down the road and not put a band-aid on things,” he said.
More online
Read up on the issues and candidates on the ballot ahead of voting by Nov. 7.
journal-news.com/voter-guide
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