News / Articles

Budget Commission Tables Auburn Resolution 

To Shift All Inside Millage to General Fund 

  

Budget Commission Regular Meeting – August 5, 2024

Meeting Details: The Geauga County Budget Commission met in Regular Session on Monday, August 5, 2024 at 10:00 am in the Auditor's Conference Room, 215 Main Street, Chardon, Ohio. This meeting was in person with a virtual option via MS Teams.  

Meeting Attendance: Treasurer Chris Hitchcock (arriving at 10:03 am), Auditor Chuck Walder, and Prosecutor Jim Flaiz.

Staff Attendance: Chief Deputy Treasurer Caroline Mansfield (departing at 10:03 am), Chief Deputy Auditor Ron Leyde, Deputy Auditors Tammy Most and Kristen Sinatra, and Fiscal Office Manager Pam McMahan.

County Staff: County Budget and Finance Manager Adrian Gorton (virtual).

Members of the Public: This LWV Geauga Observer (virtual).

The meeting was called to order at 10:02 am.

Minutes: Minutes from the Regular Meeting on July 15, 2024 were approved and will be available here when published.

Annual Organizational Meeting: Before conducting regular business, the Budget Commissioners held their annual organizational meeting. The following items were decided:

• Chairperson: Mr. Hitchcock was elected as Chairperson, and Mr. Flaiz was elected as Vice Chairperson.

• Meeting Schedule: The Budget Commission will continue to meet on the first and third Mondays of the month at 10:00 am in the Auditor’s Conference Room.

• Alternates: Mr. Hitchcock appointed Chief Deputy Treasurer Caroline Mansfield and Deputy Treasurer Donna Borsi as his alternates. Mr. Flaiz appointed Assistant Prosecutor Kristen Rine and First Assistant Prosecutor Laura LaChapelle as his alternates. Mr. Walder appointed ADP Chief Deputy Administrator Frank Antenucci, Chief Compliance Officer & Administrator Kate Jacob, and Chief Deputy Auditor Ron Leyde as his alternates.

• Annual Undivided Local Government Funds Distribution Approval: The Budget Commission voted to approve the distribution of 2025 undivided local government funds. The total amount is $2,077,532, with 38% going to the County and the remainder being distributed to each City, Township, and Village in the County proportionately based upon population according to the most recent Federal Census. There was some discussion of what would happen to Aquilla Village’s portion (about $18,000) if the village is dissolved. It was decided that they would have to ask the Tax Commissioner about what to do if this occurs. Observer Note: More information on the Aquilla Village situation is available here.

• Annual Library Fund Distribution Approval: The Budget Commission voted to approve the distribution of 2025 Library Fund (amount not stated). Mr. Walder explained that this is “... a joint agreement between the Budget Commission and the library. The library determines the (distribution) amounts, and then that agreement is in place and intact, unless changed by the library.” He noted that some township parks are included in the library fund distribution.
  

• 2025 Tax Percentage of Collection: Mr. Hitchcock advised the other Budget Commissioners that the 2025 percentage of tax collection is estimated to be 98%. Observer Note: This means that the Treasurer believes that they will be able to collect 98% of taxes that are due; this is the same estimated tax collection rate provided by the Treasurer last year.

The following Revenue Certifications were approved:

• Chardon Local School District - Amendment #1. $62,665,685.61 in the general fund, $5,991,855.23 in special revenue funds, $446,668.68 in debt service funds, $2,832,297.76 in capital project funds, $8,815,413.30 in internal service funds, and $174,703.73 in fiduciary funds for a total of $80,926,624.331. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.

Chardon Schools’ amendment certified a decrease in the general fund and increases in all other funds.

• Newbury Township - Amendment #3. $1,463,380.95 in the general fund, $5,521,115.75 in special revenue funds, $69,900.00 in debt service funds, and $1,151,254.34 in capital project funds for a total of $8,205,651.04. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.

Newbury’s amendment reflected increases in: the general fund ($50), the road and bridge special revenue fund ($1,425), and capital project funds of (350,000).

• Bainbridge Township - Amendment #7. $4,230,348.65 in the general fund, $19,317,648.24 in special revenue funds, $2,015,383.34 in debt service funds, $2,497,440.76 in capital project funds, and $539.02 in fiduciary funds for a total of $28,061,360.01. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.

Bainbridge’s amendment certified a $9,000 increase in the EMA (Emergency Management Agency) ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) First Responder Grant special revenue fund.

• Chester Township - Amendment #5. $3,123,738.19 in the general fund, $12,169,401.64 in special revenue funds, $5,032.00 in capital project funds, and $13,011.99 in special assessment funds for a total of $15,311,183.82. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.

Chester’s amendment reflected a $5,000 increase in the other local grants special revenue fund.

• Burton Township - Amendment #2. $774,153.14 in the general fund, $1,897,483.36 in special revenue funds, and $100,000 in capital projects funds for a total of $2,771,636.50. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.

Burton Township’s amendment certified a $100,000 increase to the OPWC (Ohio Public Works Commission) capital project fund.

The Budget Commission voted to acknowledge two Geauga Public Health Appropriation Transfers:

• Fund 6011 (Private Water): Transfer to contract services (amount not stated)

• Fund 6037 (For Sale of Property): Transfer to other (amount not stated)

The following Resolution was accepted:

• Middlefield Village - Middlefield Village’s Resolution to suppress their Ambulance and EMS Levy collection at 0 mills for tax year 2024 (collected in 2025) was accepted by the Budget Commission.

The following Resolution was tabled:

• Auburn Township - Auburn’s Resolution to shift all inside millage to the general fund for tax year 2024 (collected in 2025) was considered by the Budget Commission. Observer Note: Inside millage is a component of property taxes that provides funds for local government entities to operate and is not voted upon by citizens. Mr. Walder stated that Auburn was advised not to do this until exactly how the township would go about returning improperly collected road levy tax dollars to its residents was determined. Observer Note: Please see the September 19, 2023 Budget Commission Observer Report for more information about the Auburn Road Levy issue. Mr. Walder expressed the opinion that the refund should come from the road fund, and so he would prefer not to move inside millage from the road fund to the general fund. He said he would like to pull the approximately $750,000 needed for the refund to Auburn taxpayers from the road fund in the first tax collection of 2025. Observer Note: According to reporting in the Geauga Maple Leaf, this figure represents the three years (2021-2023) of erroneous tax collection and includes interest. Auburn’s Resolution was ultimately tabled by the Budget Commission. Mr. Walder noted that he was planning to attend the Auburn Township Trustees meeting that evening to discuss the matter further.
  

Other Business:

• Budget Hearings Preparations: Ms. Most and Ms. Sinatra have gone through all tax budget submissions. Hard copies of some information will be provided to the Budget Commissioners, and the full budgets will be available on the shared drive. It was decided that handouts will not be made available to the public at the Budget Hearings. Instead, the information will be posted online. It was noted that the Budget Hearings have been advertised to the public. Observer Note: See below for the Budget Hearing Schedule.
  

Public Comment:

• As a follow-up to discussion at the July 15, 2024 Budget Commission meeting, this observer again asked to be provided with the average property value increase in the Geauga portion of Hunting Valley in the 2023 revaluation. Mr. Walder said that his staff would provide this figure. In an email to this observer dated August 5, 2024, Ms. McMahan stated that the Russell Township average property value increase should be used for Hunting Valley, which was an increase of 33.6% for residential properties. 

• This observer also inquired about how Auburn Township residents will receive a refund of the erroneously collected road levy tax dollars. Mr. Walder said that refund checks will be mailed to affected Auburn taxpayers in the first half of 2025. 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:38 am. 

Next Meeting: Special Meetings for the 2025 Tax Budget Hearings will be held on Monday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 20, both beginning at 9:00 am in the Auditor’s Conference Room at 231 Main Street, Chardon, Ohio.

The Budget Hearings are scheduled as follows:

Observer: Sarah McGlone

Editor and Reviewer: Carol Benton

Submitted: 8/11/24

The League of Women Voters of Geauga is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. They do not support or oppose individual candidates or parties. Learn more about the LWVG at www.lwvgeauga.org.