T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH Barnesville Memorial Park features a playground, swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts as well as walking trails and ball fields. Village Council decided to place a 2-mill levy on the May 2 ballot that would generate fund for park maintenance and improvements.

BARNESVILLE — Barnesville Village Council will ask voters on May 2 to approve a 2-mill levy to benefit Memorial Park.

Village Solicitor Adam Myser read a resolution at the Jan. 17 council meeting that would place a park levy on the ballot as had been requested by Councilman Tim McKelvey, who had asserted that while Memorial Park is a very nice facility, there are a lot of needs that he would like to see addressed that there is no funding for.

After some discussion, it was decided to seek 2 mills, which would bring in an estimated $130,000 annually for five years if passed by voters.

Councilman Steve Hill provided the only vote against the resolution, having stated his belief during the discussion that he didn’t think it fair that the taxpayers in the village would be taxed for the park while Warren Township trustees had declined their opportunity to offer a similar levy for their taxpayers to vote on.

During previous discussions on the matter, Warren Township Trustee Jim Grear had said that the township had an important operating levy to place on the ballot and that he didn’t want to risk that levy failing because of the inclusion of another levy.

Council also voted in favor of spending $40,200 to replace the bleachers at the main baseball field at Memorial Park, with a commitment from the Friends of the Park to make a $8,500 contribution toward the purchase at a later date.

At previous meetings it was revealed that the village had allocated $15,000 to replace one section of the bleachers this year, but the Friend’s of the Park had offered to assist with the purchase if the village would replace them all this year.

McKelvey spoke on behalf of the Friends of the Park during these discussions.

Hill abstained during the vote concerning the bleachers, saying that he felt the school district should help pay for the bleachers since the high school teams dominate the use of that field for a good portion of the spring.

Meanwhile, Village Administrator Deal informed council that while the village had allocated $16,000 for the purchase of a new zero turn mower to be used at village cemeteries, the price through the state bid program came in at just over $11,000.

Concerning the ongoing Slope Creek Waterline Project, Deal said crews are making their way across the Carpenter property and fusing pipe, but recent heavy rains delayed construction to some extent.

Deal said work on the Westview Lift Station is moving along and could possibly be completed by the end of the month.

Council approved Deal’s request to apply for a zero match $10,000 grant through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the purchase of equipment, which Deal said he was looking to use to buy pipe locating equipment.

Council’s next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. today in the Municipal Building on Arch Street.