The Village of Elida Council of the Whole met Wednesday evening to discuss ARPA funding and a potential tax levy.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
ELIDA —The Village of Elida was looking Wednesday at additional ways to help fund their police department, including a possible new tax levy.
Community members gathered as the Council of the Whole to discuss the consideration of tax levies and use for fiscal recovery money.
According to Council President Darryl Nichols, a .75% income tax levy was put into effect in Elida in 2006. The village has used the levy to pay for several needs in the community. Last year the police department received over $203,000 of the general fund monies. The year prior, the police department used $190,000. Following a community survey created by the Mayor, 30% of residents requested an increase in police coverage. A village park was 39% of the community response and 26% of residents requested an improvement in streets.
“In 2006 when the .75 levy was put into effect; we have been living on that money for years and we have made it last,” said Nichols. “That money is what pays for everything in the general fund including police money, street lighting and everything (other than the water and sewer).”
“I would much rather allow the residents, if they want police protection, to vote for the millage, not us just increase it, but to allow residents to make that choice,” added Nichols. “If they don’t make that choice we will have to see what we can do. If we were able to pull some of the police monies out of the general fund it would make the general fund a lot more solid than what is now.”
The meeting didn’t put forward any specific proposal, but a new tax could take the form of a property tax levy.
The Village of Elida Council meeting will be held next Tuesday evening. The Council will vote on placing a new tax levy on the ballot in the May 2023 primary election.
Village administrator Dave Metzger said the village will send information to the residents through their water bill explaining the potential levy. The village will also hold a public hearing. Residents will then have 90 days before the May primary election to determine if they want to pass or vote down on the tax levy.
In addition to the levy, the council of the whole discussed the allocation of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Following the 2020 pandemic, municipalities across the nation were awarded recovery money to help supplement any loss. The village of Elida received around $190,000 in stimulus money from ARPA.
Council Members discussed using the funds for various projects. The village has until 2024 to determine the use of the funds and until 2026 to fully use the funding. Metzger said he would create a priority list and then present it to the council.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
