By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Wood County Park District Board of Commissioners went on the record Tuesday opposing the proposed ballot initiative to ban property taxes.
Board Chair Rebecca Ferguson called for a resolution in support of a No vote on the “Ax Ohio Tax” initiative that is still looking for enough signatures to get on Ohio’s general election ballot in November.
The Ax Ohio Tax initiative aims to abolish property taxes in Ohio through a constitutional amendment. In Ohio, property taxes fund basic services including schools, emergency services, parks, libraries and local governments.
“The building we’re sitting in and all that our staff does could not exist without property taxes,” Ferguson said. “We can’t develop any more parks or even maintain what we’ve got without taxpayer support.”
According to the resolution that was passed unanimously, the park district’s budget and other similar services across Ohio rely on property taxes that support programs, protection and preservation of parks, parkways and historic sites.
“The. elimination of funding would result in deep cuts in our budget, including potential closures of parks and reduction of all services which are provided to the community up to and including the complete closure of the park district,” Ferguson read from the resolution as she asked for the board’s support.
She acknowledged that property taxes are a concern for many Ohioans, but “eliminating them entirely without a responsible alternative is a reckless and unsustainable approach.”
The loss of property tax revenue could result in significant increases in income tax, sales tax or other statewide taxes “shifting the burden rather than resolving it,” she said.
Vice Chair Jonathan Smith made the motion to approve the resolution, but asked that it be clear, “It’s not just saying we are opposing property tax; we would like to see responsible tax reform,” he said.
The resolution will be forwarded to the governor’s office, members of the Ohio General Assembly and other appropriate officials.
Parks’ lost and found gets upgrade
The park district has a new, more efficient process for handling “lost” items found in any of the district’s parks. Police Chief Troy Bateson explained that previously, the process was cumbersome, took a lot of staff time and a lot of space to store the items.
“The old policy was you basically kept everything,” he said.
Previously, the police department had to take in the item, hold onto it for six months and get a court order to dispose of items that were not retrieved by the owners.
“So every hat, coat and little toy (collected) started to add up very quickly,” Bateson said.
The new process allows any staff member is able to collect and tag found items such as glasses, keys, hats, gloves and coats, clothing, water bottles and any other items under an estimated value of $100. Administrative Assistant Diana Ziems manages the process and “she does an excellent job,” he said. Now the items are stored in a 2’ x 3’ tote. Items are kept for two full months and anything remaining is donated, used within the park district, sold on Gov Deals or trashed.
Since starting the process in 2024, there has been no need to add more lost and found storage, Bateson said.
Items over $100, jewelry, electronics, money, property containing money, credit cards or other personal identification cards, prescriptions, bikes, scooters, knives and weapons and illegal substance are turned over to, collected and maintained within the police department’s lost and found.
Most items have been found at W.W. Knight Memorial Preserve (27) and Otsego Park (12) because they have rental facilities, Bateson said. Police-found items included three bicycles, one drone, a knife, a license plate (returned), a wedding ring and a cell phone.
In other business, the board approved resolutions to:
- Update the park police policy manual.
- Revise the district’s credit card policy in the employee manual to comply with a memo from State Auditor Keith Faber.
- Declare several items—a 2014 Ram 1500 pickup truck, two interstate trailers and seven bows—as surplus items to be disposed of through sale, donation, disposal or other means allowed by law.
- Authorize Director Christopher Smalley to enter into an agreement with the Wood County Engineer for tar and chip sealing for the entrance drive and parking area at the park police headquarters for the amount of $5,972.98.
- Purchase from Recreational Sales and Installation LLC three swinging benches, one for W.W. Knight Memorial Preserve and two for Otsego Park, at a cost of $5,850.
