Union Township garage issue back on ballot

MOUNT CORY — One issue Union Township voters will see on the Primary Election ballot will look familiar. They will be again asked to consider a bond issue to build, furnish and equip a new township garage and to clear, improve and equip the site. The issue has been rejected twice before in 2025. "It's the same thing that was on (the ballot) before," said Jason Hoffman, who is serving as chairman of the trustees this year. The bond issue is set for a principal amount of $750,000 which will be repaid annually over a maximum period of 15 years. The bond also involves a 1.2-mill levy for Union Township residents. The value of the millage equates to $35 for each $100,000 of property value, as appraised by the county auditor. The levy would start in 2026, and would first be due in 2027. Money from the levy would be used to pay the annual debt charges on the issued bonds as well as debt charges on any note issued in anticipation of the bonds. The current garage, located in the 200 block of West Washington Street, is one of the village's oldest structures. The building was first a two-room brick school building known as school #10. Eventually the school closed, and it has since been used as a garage to house the township's trucks for years. But the building has outlived its usefulness, according to the trustees. It's full with two trucks, the township mower and road signs. The trustees are hopeful that more residents are becoming aware of the building's condition. If approved and built, the garage would be larger in size and better able to hold township property, as well as serve as a place to hold meetings and keep records.