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Wednesday, November 04, 2009

School chief: Thank you!
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By DENISE GRANT

STAFF WRITER

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Findlay City Schools Superintendent Dean Wittwer couldn't say it enough Tuesday after learning of the school district's election win.

Voters approved a 4.3-mill bond issue that will help build two middle schools and a new career technical center.

The election was a nail-biter for the school district, however. The final vote total Tuesday was 6,241 in favor, 5,936 opposed, or a margin of 51.25 percent to 48.75 percent.

All vote totals are unofficial and include absentee ballots.

With the city income tax, the county sales tax and the school issue all passing, Wittwer said voters made a clear statement.

"I think the voters just said that we don't want this community to be average, we want this community to be Findlay. This is Findlay and we want better," Wittwer said.

The bond issue will raise $54 million, and will be matched with $19 million from the Ohio School Facilities Commission. The money will build two middle schools and a career technical center.

One middle school will be built on the site of Donnell Middle School, 301 Baldwin Ave. A second middle school will be built behind Glenwood Middle School, 1715 N. Main St.

Central Middle School, 200 W. Main Cross St., will eventually be used for office space and other district programs.

The career technical center will be built on the high school campus, 1200 Broad Ave.

Construction of all three could begin in 2011, with the buildings opening by the 2013-14 school year.

The bond issue will cost the owner of a home with an appraised value of $100,000 about $135 per year.

Wittwer said the campaign changed a lot after the defeat of the bond issue in August, when it failed by 481 votes.

"We made a better case" this time. "We got more people involved. People really wanted this to pass. There has been an amazing amount of energy put into this campaign in the last seven weeks," said Wittwer. "... People stepped forward to help us that didn't want to sit on the sidelines any more, and that is from the average citizen to the corporate executive."

He said it is time to start talking with the architects about the design of the buildings.

"We need to hold our feet to the fire and get this done correctly, done on time and under bid," Wittwer said.

Grant: 419-427-8412,

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36 Comments (4 pages)

Latest comments listed first.
james wrote:
the real shift
“ Bob
Under that ruling it will only take a few big boys to pull out the city to shift the full tax burden on those who remain the ability of that happing is a great possibly.
And the question of operating levees and there renewals the masses will turn not in favor of that,
This may turn out to a grave mistake its a loan bond that the calculations could very well fall apart in the very never days,
One school at a time would have severed us best
The next shoe will drop we will speak then


”
Friday, November 06, 2009 6:05:20 AM
Bob Uhaul wrote:
Ron
“ I know it's confusing so I'll use an example.

Let's say that your house and my house, each valued at $100,000, are the only two houses in the entire school district. Now let's say that the school district passes a bond levy at a rate (doesn't matter what rate) that raises $100 per year. So, for year 1, we each pay $50. ($50x2=$100)

Now, let's add that in year 2, you are unsatisfied with your valuation and file a tax appeal. Thru your brilliant legal arguements you convince everyone that your home is only worth $50,000. This means that the school district only has $150,000 of value for year 2 to spead that $100 over. When the tax bills are sent out in year 2, your tax bill will be $33.33 while my tax bill will be $66.67. Please note that my value didn't change. However, my tax bill sure did. And, I'd only have you to thank for it.

I hope this example helps you understand Ohio Real Property Tax laws, HB920, ORC 319.30, and ORC 319.301. ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 3:11:10 PM
Bob Uhaul wrote:
Arsenic Remediation
“ Ron:

There are numerous methodologies out there for the remediation of arsenic contamination. If you'd like, we could sit down over a beer and talk about solidification, vitrification, soil washing, acid extraction, pyrometallurgical recovery, in situ soil flushing, precipitation or coprecipitation, membrane filtration, absoption, ion exchange, permeable reactive barriers, electrokinetics, phytoremediation, and biological treatments.....but it would all be for naught as we're only dealing with inorganic arsenic contamination of soil in amounts ranging from 12-17 ppm. I have read the report from the environmental company hired by the city/school board to analyze the subject property. Here's a summarization of the recommendation for clean-up.

1) Identify contaminated dirt
2) Scoop up dirt
3) Place dirt in dump truck
4) Drive to disposal site authorized to accept dirt
5) Dump dirt
6) Build new school

I would like to note that I got a mild chuckle out of someone at the Ohio Department of Health once that person found out I was so worried about concentrations of 12-17 ppm. I was informed that the average background level for arsenic in the State of Ohio is around 5.8 ppm. By the way, the ODH defines 610 ppm as "chronic" and 73,100 as "acute". ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 2:54:37 PM
Noah Little wrote:
ron
“ The bond will raise $54 million. So, if your property value goes down, all homeowners and commercial property owners in Findlay City School District will pay a little more to make up the difference. If commercial real estate tanks in value, homeowners will pay more to make up the difference. The 4.3 mil is based on current values and can change to raise the 54 million in the 28 year time frame. ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 2:34:14 PM
ron wrote:
side step spin
“ So bob your saying for every dollar I dont pay.. the valve of your home goes up and you would be required to pay more tax
Please go into detail your math does not add up or, are you saying that some people have a very good chance of over paying
”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 1:24:01 PM
ron wrote:
SAME
“ bill heres the site add

http://auditor.co.hancock.oh.us/index2.htm ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:28:19 PM
ron wrote:
side step
“ Theres' a lot more to cleaning up Arsenic
then
that bob, there mostly the air born issues these can be complicated and very costly
Please look at EPA SITE ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:03:26 PM
ron wrote:
side step spin
“ bob thats not how it works theres no shift;
 ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 11:48:42 AM
Bob Uhaul wrote:
Tax Appeals and Arsenic
“ Ron: Before you tell everyone to run out and file tax appeals, I have two questions for you to ponder:

1) For every property tax dollar that you don't pay, your neighbor does! As in, if you "save" $500 on your tax bill thru an appeal, you have just shifted that $500 to the rest of your neighborhood. All I ask is that you send your neighbors a "thank you" note after your big win!

2) If you waved your magic tax wand and all property values in Hancock County were reduced by 25% (or pick another number), would your tax bill be reduced by that same 25%? (Here's a clue, the answer isn't "yes").

Just food for thought. Now go out there and run for county auditor.

JRH: I too was worried about the arsenic issue on the property next to Glenwood. However, my research indicates that if you know how to clean up the kitty litter box, then you can clean up arsenic....you just need a bigger scoop. ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 11:03:19 AM
jrh wrote:
schools
“ It will be interesting to see how the "verbal agreement" to purchase the land adjacent to Glenwood turns out...and how the clean-up (or cover-up) of the poisoned land there is handled. Flood mitigation, police and fire protection, city workers....the circus continues. It will be interesting to sit back and watch. I voiced my opinion by voting, too bad less than half the eligible voters turned out to do the same.
Maybe the city will start spending money responsibly, not buying out burned buildings and turning the space into "parks", redoing ball fields that continually flood etc..etc..
Oooh, I know, if we spend a few million dollars to beautify downtown...or build some stuff on a poisoned piece of land that a developer "agreed" to....what a multitude of things the city can do to burn up some more money. I believe laughter is good medicine, so I try and laugh at all this foolishness...if it just wasnt so sad!! ”
Thursday, November 05, 2009 5:49:36 AM
   NEWS VIDEO

Benton Ridge Shooting

This video, released by the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, shows the shooting of a Lima man who led authorities on a three-county chase ending Aug.24 in Benton Ridge. Be cautioned, the video contains graphic content.
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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.