BATH TOWNSHIP — The Bath Township Board of Trustees has approved a resolution that will increase the amount of motor vehicle tax monies allocated to the township in 2019.
According to Township Trustee Steve Ross, the board met in special session Sept. 24 to passed Resolution 25-2018, which petitioned the Greene County Board of Commissioners to increase the percentage of tax revenues disbursed to the township under Section 4504.16 of the Ohio Revised Code.
The revenues from state motor vehicle taxes are distributed to local governments on the basis of a statutory formula. Currently, the distribution percentages are 70 percent for the county and 30 percent for the townships, which are required by the Ohio Constitution to be used for highway purposes.
“It came to our attention that Greene County Engineer Robert Geyer is willing to give up 70 percent of the motor vehicle tax monies earmarked for the county this upcoming year,” Ross said during the Oct. 3 township meeting. “In order for the township to obtain some of those monies, we had to pass and sign a resolution requesting an increase in the percentage of motor vehicle tax monies allocated to the township. We did so, and I personally took the resolution over to the county commissioners that day.”
Each year, prior to Oct. 1, the county board of commissioners may pass a resolution increasing or decreasing the percentage of tax monies allocated to townships in the county. After receiving the resolutions from a number of townships, the Greene County Board of Commissioners met on Sept. 27 and approved Resolution No. 18-9-27-10, which increases the motor vehicle tax funding distributed to townships from 30 percent to 100 percent for the 2019 calendar year.
Ross noted that nine of the 12 townships in the county submitted resolutions to the board of commissioners, including Beavercreek, Cedarville, Jefferson, Miami, New Jasper, Silvercreek, Sugarcreek and Xenia Townships, as well as Bath Township. The board of commissions approved all nine submitted requests and will disburse the additional tax revenues among the nine townships.
“This is a ballpark figure, but it looks like we will gain about $30,000 from this percentage increase that will be used for road repairs and improvements,” said Ross.
In other business, Bath Township Road Supervisor Michael Rhoades reported to trustees that the 2018 road construction season is coming to an end. Rhoades said the milling, paving and the application of center and edge lines on Ravenwood Road have been completed. Contracted road crews have milled and paved Clearcreek Trail, as well as a portion of Bath Road which will also receive center and edge line pavement markings.
Rhoades told township trustees that he received an estimate from Ron Estepp Continuous Gutter LLC in Xenia for the replacement of the gutters and downspouts on the township building. The building, located at 1006 Yellow Springs-Fairfield Road, houses the township office, trustees’ meeting room, and a rental space for social gatherings. Rhoades said the gutters were in poor condition and needed a lot of attention. According to Rhoades, the estimated cost for the project would be These amounts are required by the Ohio Constitution to be used for highway purposes. $1,675,
Township Trustee Tom Pitstick said he had also examined the gutters on the building recently and had determined that they needed replacing as well. Township Trustee John Martin moved to approve the replacement of the gutters and down spouting at the estimated price, seconded by Pitstick. The motion passed in a 3-0 vote.
Rhoades also told the trustees that he would be consulting with a local business representative about replacing the entry doors to the township building. Ross said the board would discuss the matter further at the next meeting.
The Bath Township Board of Trustees will meet again in regular session at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17 at the township building. The public is welcome.
