ASHLAND — Ashland County residents living outside the city will be asked to approve a property tax increase for the health department on the November ballot.
Ashland County commissioners took the final step Thursday to place the issue — a replacement of an existing 0.3 mill levy and an increase of 0.15 mills for five years — on the ballot.
The levy, if passed, would cost $45 annually for the owner of a home valued at $100,000. It would bring in $332,464 each year.
Commissioner Denny Bittle said the increase is needed in part to cover costs associated with a new state accreditation process that involves an annual fee and a complex process that will strain staff resources.
Additionally, Bittle said, the health department wants to raise wages for nurses in order to better attract and retain quality nursing staff.
The levy applies only to voters and residents in the Ashland County General Health District, not the Ashland City General Health District. While both districts provide services through Ashland County-City Health Department, the city contracts with the county and pays its share of operating costs though the city’s general fund.
But there is some question whether this structure will continue.
City residents will also see a health department issue on the November ballot. The charter amendment would allow city council to enact legislation to officially merge the Ashland City Health District and the Ashland County General Health District.
The language of the proposed amendment states, “If council should determine the Ashland City Health District should unite with the general health district in the formation of a single district, it may do so in conformity with state law providing for the same.”
If the amendment passes, and if the council decides to enact legislation to form a single district with the county, city officials will have to work with the county to determine the funding mechanism for the district.
Mayor Matt Miller and city council president Steve Workman have said they have no immediate plans to change their contract arrangement with the county but that they want to create an option for council members to do so if they see fit in the future.
County commissioners also approved a preliminary budget for 2019. The budget includes $11,899,100 in anticipated general fund revenue, up from $11,609,200 in 2018.
County auditor Cindy Funk said she projects a small increase in property tax revenue, in part due to taxation of the portion of the Rover Pipeline that lies in the county. She also projects an increase in revenue from charges, fines and fees, but that increase is largely because of an accounting change in how her office handles title money.
Treasurer Angie McQuillen said because of rising interest rates, she projects an increase in investment income in 2019.
“A couple things in the budget that I think will be a problem are health insurance costs… and also the transfer out that you make to children’s services with the 145 children we have (in county custody), I think that will be a problem in 2019,” Funk said.
The budget projections show the county expects a general fund carryover of $811,156 this year and a deficit of $1,460,903 in 2019. Commissioner Mike Welch said the county budget commission will modify the budget in November based on actual revenues and expenses.
“That will dictate what we will have to cut, because we will see come cuts,” Welch said.
Funk added that the county “lives and dies by the carryover” and expects to see some departments spend less than what they budgeted.
Bittle said the county does not penalize departments for coming in under budget by shrinking the department’s budget the following year. He said this removes any incentive departments may feel to spend the full budgeted amount each year.
