May 5, 2011
Olentangy levy/bond issue approved By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The “yes” voters came out for Olentangy schools on May 3, approving a combined 7.9-mill operating levy and $24.4 million bond issue, unofficial results from the Delaware County Board of Elections show. The levy passed 9,501 to 8,392 (53 percent “yes” votes) with all precincts reporting. “I’m very proud of the Olentangy community,” said Kristen Fenker, chair of the pro-levy campaign. “This win is a total testament to the community of Olentangy, the volunteers we have, the support we have for our schools. Everybody is proud to live here and they showed it tonight.” “It passed by about 6 percent and I would hope that it sends a message (to the administration) that people can’t afford it,” said Tracy Ruegg, spokesperson for the opposition PAC Responsible Olentangy. “Our message is that Olentangy Local School District has a spending problem …” The operating levy will cost homeowners an additional $241.94 annually per $100,000 of property value, said Shari Baker of the Delaware County auditor’s office. The average residential property value in the district is $262,759, the auditor’s office said. District officials are calling the bond issue “no new millage.” The district would restructure its current bond debt, delaying repayment of the debt, treasure Becky Jenkins has said. The levy will raise $25.2 million annually, district officials have said. Operating levies pay for the various daily expenses of running the district, including employee costs, building utilities, supBy Tim Norman/ThisWeek plies and vehicle fuel. Kristen Fenker, chair of Olentangy for Kids, celebrates after calculating the tallies from precincts in favor of the levy, as reported by runners, while The bond issue would provide $24.4 million sitting at the Delaware County Board of Elections on Tuesday night. With Fenker is Mark Iannotta (left), Krista Davis, Tracy MacDowell and Sue See LEVY, page A6 Mahler, treasurer of Olentangy for Kids.
Preliminary County voters OK 911 operating levy campaign finance reports filed By SARAH SOLE
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Delaware County voters on May 3 warmed to a levy without a tax increase, supporting the five-year, 0.45mill renewal operating levy for the county’s 911 emergency communications system. There were 14,386 votes for the re-
newal levy and 7,957 votes against it. Sixty-four percent of voters were in favor of the levy. Residents had voted down a fiveyear 0.62-mill 911 levy in November. “We clearly understood the message from last November of no new taxes. We reduced the levy to provide for no new taxes. And I’m very pleased that the voters responded favorably to
our actions,” Delaware Emergency Communications Operations director Bob Greenlaw told ThisWeek. The levy replaces the 911 levy that will expire this year. The renewal amount means a homeowner will pay at the same rate as the expiring levy: $13.68 per $100,000 of residential valuation a year. The levy, which will raise $2.55
million annually, funds countywide 911 emergency dispatching; cell phone location service upgrades; dispatcher training for police, fire and medical responders; county, state and federal interoperable communications; and maintaining current levels of technology. Greenlaw told ThisWeek no new See 911 OPERATING, page A2
DCBDD operating levy approved By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers The five-year, 2.1-mill replacement operating levy for the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities was approved by county voters on May 3. With all precincts reporting, 13,636 voted for the levy and 9,816 voted against it. Fifty-eight percent of voters were in favor of the levy. Voters have approved every request since the levy was introduced in 1981. Each levy has been for five years. “We’re appreciative. We’ve had a long and very positive relationship with county citizens and voters,” DCBDD superintendent Robert Morgan said, adding that the board would do its part to operate the levy funds efficiently. Morgan said the current levy that will expire this year has an effective collection rate of 2.09 mills. The replacement levy means an owner of a $100,000
Wellness expo
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
Thirteen-year-old Savannah Voss and 14-year-olds Amanda Brewer and Abby Cronley learn to do the Bora Bora Zumba during the OLSD Wellness Expo on April 28 at Shanahan Middle School. The class was being taught by Bay Cunningham from Liberty-Powell YMCA. The school district hopes the wellness expo will become an annual event. The proceeds from this year’s event will be used to build a greenhouse at Shanahan.
By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Final campaign finance reports for the May 3 election are due June 10 and pre-election reports were filed in April. The Delaware County Board of Elections received reports for funds raised and spent on the following issues: Olentangy Local Schools’combined tax levy and bond issue; the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DCBDD) replacement tax levy, and Delaware County’s 911 tax levy renewal. No report was filed for the Genoa Township road levy renewal because no funds were taken in. For the Olentangy combined issue, two organizations filed reports: the pro-levy political action committee (PAC) Olentangy for Kids (OFK) and anti-levy PAC Responsible Olentangy Citizens. Olentangy for Kids filed two reports, one in March and another in April. The PAC remains active year-round, a representative from the Delaware County Board of Elections told ThisWeek, meaning it turns in reports and can collect contributions between elections. The last report, dated April 24, showed that OFK had $80,417 in available funds. Individual contributions came from residents and district employees in the form of cash, checks and payroll deductions from district employees. District treasurer Becky Jenkins said payroll deductions for OFK are allowed by law and ocSee PRELIMINARY, page A6
See DCBDD, page A2
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