Commissioners advance renewal levy

NORWALK — Huron County commissioners took another step Tuesday toward placing a health department renewal levy before voters in November. Commissioners approved a resolution asking the Huron County auditor to certify the county's current tax valuation and the amount of revenue that would be generated by the proposed levy for the Huron County Board of Health. County officials said during the meeting that the proposal is a renewal levy, not a new tax. The measure would continue existing funding and would not create a new tax. The resolution followed a separate vote to rescind an earlier resolution tied to the same levy process. Officials said the previous resolution had to be rescinded because the steps were out of order and the county needed to start fresh. According to information provided by Cyleen Sharpe, public information officer for the Community Programs Division, the levy is a 0.5-mill renewal, although the current effective rate is .3 mills because of property value adjustments through the Huron County auditor. Sharpe said the renewal would provide funding for 10 years and would support a range of public health services offered by the Huron County Public Health Department, including public health nursing, environmental health services, community health education and outreach. She said the levy is the agency's primary source of flexible public health funding. If the levy fails, the Board of Health would have to scale back programs offered to the community, and residents would see reductions in services and capacity. Legally mandated services would be prioritized, while others could be discontinued. The issue would be submitted to voters at the Nov. 3 election. During commissioners' discussion, commissioner Harry Brady said he has had concerns about the health department at times, but also said the agency provides important services for residents with limited resources. "They do actually help a lot of people who are underprivileged," Brady said. Commissioner Tom Dunlap said he has received no complaints since changes were made at the health department and credited the agency with improving its public relations. The commissioners' vote is one of the required steps before the levy issue can be finalized for the ballot.