MARTINSBURG — At Monday evening’s Martinsburg Village Council meeting, council president Virginia Davis — standing in for Mayor J.R. St. Clair, who was in West Virginia attending a funeral — announced that the village is “broke.”
“There is more going out than coming in and we’re steadily losing more funding,” she said. “We need a tax levy and we need some income.”
“I really don’t think the people can afford another tax,” responded Council member George Hewitt.
“If we don’t, the town is going to go under,” said Davis.
Council discussed a property tax hike, an income tax levy or dissolving the village government. The latter measure, Village Solicitor John Ryerson said, was proposed and voted down by a firm majority in 2004. If passed this year, Martinsburg governance would be turned over to the Clay Township Trustees and the Knox County Commissioners. Tammy Lahmon of the Water Board reminded council that county water rates are considerably higher than village water rates.
An income tax, council members agreed, would not generate enough funds because the majority of residents are retired. Council member Joe Black said he would “go to each house in town to give them my opinion” on his opposition to higher taxes on either income or property.
Davis said St. Clair proposed that council members re-elected in November take a cut in pay of $10 per month, and that he — also running in November — take a pay cut of $100 per month.
Hewitt asked if council seats could be reduced from six to four; Ryerson said the Ohio Legislature would have to pass an amendment allowing that change in all villages in the state. Hewitt said he would be willing to back off and not run for his seat again, in order to save the village money.
Ryerson said the lack of a state budget is part of the problem with the village’s finances, as no one is sure how much funding to municipalities will be cut.
Council decided to wait until the August meeting to make a decision. In the meantime, it will research the matter and gather statistics.
In other business, resident Steve Kidwell donated a commercial-quality children’s playset that he received from a daycare center in Newark. He offered the heavy-duty set to the village; council members unanimously thanked him for the gift.
“The price is right,” Kidwell said, noting that the $15,000 playset has 13 steel posts that must be buried 3 feet in the ground for stability and safety. It will also require new bolts and much labor. He offered to deliver the set wherever council would like to place it in the village.
Council members listened to the first of three readings of an ordinance to raise village water rates, a “necessary [measure] to conserve the financial stability of the water system,” according to Ryerson. Lahmon agreed, adding that rates should be even higher, but the water board is trying to keep the rates as low as possible.
A resolution to raise water rates was passed in June; the passing of an ordinance makes the change permanent, said Ryerson, unlike a resolution, which expires in one year.
Davis read a letter of complaint from a resident about the Jobes property next to town hall; the complaint included information on the sighting of rats in an abandoned trailer at the rear of the property. Ryerson said he will contact the Knox County Health Department for its opinion.
Maxine Robison, treasurer, reported a leaning stop sign near her home at the corner of Silver Alley and South Street. Council will look into the repair.
Davis adjourned the meeting with the caveat that council may need to meet again before the Aug. 3 meeting to discuss the village budget, if the state budget is passed before that date.
