WELLSBURG — Brooke County voters will resolve the destiny of three levies supporting companies starting from the county’s ambulance service, 911 heart and hearth departments to its well being division, libraries and senior heart as a part of Tuesday’s election.
Earlier this 12 months, the Brooke County Fee determined to restructure a long-time levy that generated funds for the ambulance service and a number of other different county businesses.
Consequently, one five-year levy every year will generate $900,000 for the county’s ambulance authority, a newly fashioned board that oversees the ambulance service’s operations; $76,500 for the county’s emergency administration company, which is charged with coordinating response to disasters and different main emergencies; and $570,000 for the county’s emergency 911 heart.
The 911 heart at the moment is supported partly by a four-year levy, which is able to expire when the brand new levy goes into impact in 2025.
Additionally slated to enter impact that 12 months is a separate levy elevating funds for a number of county entities that beforehand have been included in a levy with the ambulance service.
The brand new five-year levy is about to generate every year the next quantities: $350,000 for the county’s animal shelter; $100,000 for the Brooke County Committee on Ageing, which oversees the Brooke County Senior Middle; $186,805 for the Brooke County Library and its Follansbee department; $31,500 for the Mary H. Weir Public Library; $200,000 for the county’s well being division; $105,000 for Brooke Hills Park; $20,000 for the Brooke County Historic Museum and Tradition Middle; $73,500 for the Brooke County West Virginia College Extension Workplace; and $60,000 for enhancements to the county courthouse.
The county commissioners have confused the latter is for work on the current constructing and never the judicial annex at the moment below building by way of the sale of bonds.
They added courthouse funds from the levy have been used to offer native matches required of state grants secured for the substitute of boilers and different wants on the constructing.
Leaders of the assorted county businesses have made efforts, starting from fliers to social media, to tell the general public concerning the companies they can present with help from the levy.
Officers on the county’s well being division mentioned it has enabled them to supply, free or at little value, school-required immunizations for kids, flu photographs and different vaccines and common most cancers screenings.
They added the native funds even have supported the division’s response to COVID-19 and preparation for pure disasters similar to floods and common inspections of companies promoting meals and different environmental companies.
Alex Schneider, director of the Brooke County Public Library; mentioned state funding for the Wellsburg and Follansbee libraries had lessened with a drop within the county’s inhabitants, making the levy their largest supply of funding.
Schneider added the libraries’ state allotment additionally relies on their native funding, with people who elevate extra money of their communities eligible for extra state funding.
She mentioned a lot of the levy funds are used to take care of, warmth and funky the 2 buildings, with some funds offered by the Metropolis of Follansbee for its library department, in addition to guarantee its computer systems and associated tools are in working order.
Schneider mentioned many have used the computer systems for job searches with help from employees with the WVU Extension Service and different analysis and in current months, the library has made a number of Wi-Fi sizzling spots accessible to residents with no or restricted Web service.
She mentioned the libraries’ entry to the Web was important in the course of the pandemic. When social distancing protocols compelled them to shut, she and her employees used it to current digital applications, present info and prepare curbside pickup of books and different supplies.
Schneider mentioned in the course of the 2021 fiscal 12 months, the Wellsburg library had 18,105 guests and its Follansbee department noticed 4,182 patrons.
To voters she says, “Consider the general public companies you, a member of the family or pal could also be accessing now. If you happen to don’t use it (the library), you probably know somebody who does.”
Jason Rine, Brooke County WVU Extension agent, mentioned, “The levy funds are a essential supply of native funding which have enabled us to usher in vital grant cash to profit the residents of Brooke County.”
Rine mentioned levy funds have boosted many youth-oriented applications, such because the Power Specific summer time studying program and group gardens carried out in cooperation with native colleges and 4-H golf equipment and summer time camps.
He famous the company additionally presents free agricultural info to anybody concerned with gardening or farming.
Additionally on ballots shall be renewal of the county’s hearth levy, which is about to lift $58,500 every year for 5 years for every of the next hearth departments: Bethany Pike, Bethany, Beech Backside, Colliers, Follansbee, Franklin Neighborhood, which is on Washington Pike; Hooverson Heights, Wellsburg, Windsor Heights, McKinleyville and Weirton.
Income generated by the levies relies on every $100 of assessed property worth owned within the county.
Levy charges for the ambulance, EMA and 911 levy are: 6.66 cents per $100 of Class II property, which incorporates properties and the property on which they sit; and 13.32 cents per $100 of Class III and IV property.
Each Class III and IV property contains all different property, together with automobiles and property utilized by companies aside from farms, with Class III referring to these in muncipalities and Class IV to these in unincorporated areas of the county.
Levy charges for the county company levy are 4.86 cents per $100 of Class II property and 9.72 cents per $100 of Class III and IV property.
Levy charges for the fireplace levy are: 2.78 cents per $100 of Class II property and 5.56 cents per $100 of Class III and IV property.
(Scott could be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)
