ASHLAND — A joint levy benefitting two Ashland County agencies will appear for renewal on the November ballot.
First approved by voters in 2021, the levy benefits both the Ashland County Council on Aging and the Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services. Both agencies receive 50 percent of the total taxes collected each year.
Ashland County JFS Director Peter Stefaniuk and Sandy Enderby, executive director of the county Council on Aging, spoke Thursday to county commissioners about the importance of the levy.
The board approved putting the five-year, 2-mill levy on the upcoming November ballot as a renewal. As a renewal, the issue will not increase the amount taxpayers contribute to the levy — if approved by voters.
Stefaniuk said the levy is estimated to generate about $3 million in 2026 — which would mean both agencies would receive about $1.5 million each.
For a $100,000 property, the levy costs about 13 cents per day — or about $47 per year — according to Stefaniuk.
Levy funds assist JFS with foster care costs
Stefaniuk said his department largely uses its portion of generated levy funds for children in foster care and associated foster care costs.
Encouraging numbers have been received since the initial passage of the levy in 2021, he said, including a reduction in the number of children in foster care custody.
“But the cost of care has gone up exponentially. It’s a major issue statewide,” Stefaniuk said.
The number of children in agency custody is currently averaging in the low 50s, he said. For the calendar year, Stefaniuk is estimating to have $2.5 million in costs related to caring for these children.
Costs associated with each child can range widely, depending on the specific needs of that child, the director said, sometimes exceeding hundreds of dollars per day.
The tax has also allowed Ashland County JFS to bring its child welfare staff wages up to a comparable level with surrounding counties.
“When I started as director eight years ago, that was always something that was a concern to me,” Stefaniuk said, explaining increased wages are now attracting workers to Ashland County.
“It’s a very skilled and small kind of labor force that has the unique credentials and abilities to do child welfare, as you can imagine. We have to find those right people that are a good fit and keep them here so they can do good work for us and for families and children in very extreme need,” he said.
Levy funds have also been used to implement a slight increase in the agency foster care per diem costs. Stefaniuk said this increase was long overdue.
Commissioner Jim Justice said the levy is greatly needed in the community.
“It helps us check on our seniors and work with our kids. I don’t think you can get a better combination than that,” Justice said.
Needs of seniors continue to rise
Enderby said the Ashland County Council on Aging previously launched and passed its own 0.6-mill levy in 2007 to cover additional costs related to rising needs in the community.
The Council on Aging decided to team with JFS in 2021 for two reasons, she said, including grandparents taking care of grandchildren and communication with adult protective services.
“Individuals would be amazed (with) what is happening to our seniors, what the need is and how much that is growing. You might look at a house and say, ‘Oh, that house looks good,’ but on the inside it could be horrific,” Enderby said.
Everyday costs of living and scam prevention assistance are additional issues the agency is trying to combat.
“Our goal is to keep our seniors protected. We want to continue that. We feel the renewal is a good thing for Ashland County (and) for our seniors,” Enderby said.
