BY SHERI TRUSTY

Overall, voters were generous at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, approving 13 of 15 levies on the ballot. The levies will fund a variety of needs, from school budgets and emergency services to cemetery upkeep and park improvements.

Genoa residents approved a 1.3-mill, five-year park levy that Genoa Mayor Thomas Bergman said would fund a ¼-mile extension of the North Coast Inland Trail through the park and the construction of a bathroom at the park, which will benefit local park users as well as cyclists on the trail.

“In a world where construction estimates are susceptible to inflation, to have this backing means everything,” Bergman said. “This is the first step in a bigger dream, our first big investment of what will hopefully be many more.”

Danbury Township passed two levies, a 1.5-mill renewal levy for the fire department and a 0.6-mill renewal levy for current expenses supported by the general fund.

Danbury Township Trustee Dianne Rozak said the fire levy will allow the township to continue to provide excellent service to its residents.

Danbury’s general fund is a two-sided coin. On one hand, the funds are unrestricted and can be utilized for anything. On the other hand, it is a relatively small fund that supports a variety of needs in the township, including parks, zoning, cemeteries, building maintenance and the dog park.

“We were just elated that it passed. We’re so blessed. We needed it to keep the township going as well as it has been going,” Rozak said. “We want people to know how much we appreciate it.”

Among the school levies that passed was a 3.3-mill emergency renewal levy for the Benton-Carroll-Salem School District.

“Emergency levy funds go into our general fund to provide for things like student technology and instructional supplies,” said B-C-S Superintendent Guy Parmigian. “Passage of the renewal will allow Benton-Carroll-Salem to continue to innovate and provide the very best academic programming and services to our students.”

Parmigian said that he, the board of education, the treasurer and the staff are very thankful to the community for supporting the school district.

“We will continue to work hard to ensure that our tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively,” he said.

Other levies that passed are: Benton-Carroll-Salem School District 3.3-mill emergency renewal levy; Woodmore Local School District 3-mill renewal levy; Harris Township 8.5-mill, 5-year renewal EMS levy; Oak Harbor 5.5-mill, 5-year renewal village streets levy; Elmore 3-mill, five-year renewal levy for current expenses; Bay Township 2-mill, five-year renewal fire levy; Benton Township 0.5-mill, 5-year renewal cemetery levy; Salem Township 1-mill, 5-year renewal cemetery levy; Carroll Township 2-mill, 5-year renewal police levy; and Mid County Joint Ambulance District, 1-mill, 5-year replacement EMS levy.

Put-in-Bay residents voted down a 1.5-mill, five-year police levy and a 1.1-mill, 10-year park levy.

In addition to the levies, two Oak Harbor area precincts, Salem 2 and Salem 3, approved Sunday liquor sales. The approval opened the door for Howey’s House of Brews owner Bill Howey to apply for a D-6 permit, which will allow him to sell liquor on Sundays.

“It’s just going to make it so much easier. Sundays will be the same as Saturdays,” Howey said.

Howey said the change will benefit local residents and visitors passing through town, some of whom move on without purchasing drinks when they learn liquor is unavailable on Sundays.

“It should bring an uptick in sales on Sundays,” he said.