1/22/14 Health board decides to test the waters before going after another levy

  • By Nick Sabo
  • January 22, 2014
  • 414
                        
SUMMARY: Board eyeing possible levy attempt on November ballot Faced with a vote on a resolution to place a levy on the May ballot, the Holmes County Board of Health Friday Jan. 17 decided to wait. The health board discussed the levy as part of an hour-long executive session, their final decision being to test public sentiment before placing another levy on the ballot. The executive session came at the end of the board’s regular monthly meeting. The health district has twice tried unsuccessfully to pass a .75 mil levy. The board passed a resolution stating the necessity for a levy at its Dec. 20 meeting, but did not vote on a resolution to place a levy on a future ballot at that time. Going into the Jan. 17 executive session, options in front of the board included placing the levy on in the May primary or the November election. Boardmember Paul Miller said the levy will not go on the May ballot, but November is a possibility. First, Miller said, the board must feel that there is enough support for the health district as it now stands. “We would love to get feedback on how much priority the people put on the services offered by the health district,” Miller said. “That obviously has to be a priority to respond with a yes vote.” Holmes County Health Commissioner Dr. D.J. McFadden said the levy is needed but he respects the board’s decision. McFadden said he feels the November election may be the levy’s best shot, if the public can be reached. “I still encounter people from the fall (Nov. 5, 2013) election who still don’t know what the issues are, who didn’t know about the levy until they saw it on the ballot,” McFadden said. “So, with the resources we have, we can take our time and do it right.” McFadden said the levy campaign was carried out largely by health district staff. They campaigned for the two levies in their free time over the past year and deserve a break, McFadden said. The board did not discuss in detail what kind of levy campaign it will carry out, McFadden said. Miller said he feels the campaign should involve boardmembers and employees in direct talks with the public. Miller said he believes that a community educated on the myriad services offered by the health district will support a levy. “We want to be as open as we can be,” Miller said. “We think this is a very worthwhile goal, a very worthwhile department of services that we provide at a very reasonable cost. But, we need the backing of the taxpayer to make it work.” If passed, the .75 mill levy would generate $608,900 per year for the health district, according to the proposed levy resolution. The estimate was compiled by the Holmes County Auditor’s office, according to the resolution.


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