Photo by Stephanie Elverd Martins Ferry Services Director Andy Sutak stresses the need for a 5-mill renewal levy that would generate funds needed for the police department for the next five years, beginning in 2027. Council passed a resolution in a special meeting on Friday allowing the auditor to conduct a tax evaluation as the first step to getting the renewal levy on the May ballot.

MARTINS FERRY — Martins Ferry City Council met in special session Friday afternoon to repass legislation needed to place a renewal levy on the May ballot that will continue to fund the police department.

Council had passed the resolution “requesting the county auditor certify to the city of Martins Ferry the current tax evaluation and the dollar amount the city would generate by 5-mill renewal levy” during Wednesday’s meeting, but a mistake on the dates on that resolution led to village leaders having to retake action on the matter.

“We have to revote this so we can take it out to the county’s auditor office who will then give us a certificate stating what that levy is going to bring in,” Martins Ferry Services Director Andy Sutak said. “That’s the first part of the legislation to put a levy on the ballot.”

Sutak said the legislation must be presented to the election board no later than Feb. 4 for the issue to be decided during the spring election and he plans – weather permitting – to get a copy of Friday’s resolution to the county auditor on Monday to expedite the process that would also require an ordinance and three readings from council.

“Once we get that certificate back, I will take it to the city auditor Mr. [John] Regis. He will review and, if he agrees with what it’s going to bring in, we have to call a special meeting to have three readings … we can possibly have two meetings one night and a meeting the next night,” Sutak said.

Sutak explained the council could meet at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, for example, and then have another meeting at 5 p.m. and then on Wednesday hold the final reading needed.

“The levy expires on the 2025 tax duplicate. We can collect it through 2026. This has to be passed this year or we lose it,” Sutak said. “What this is giving us, first of all, is it gets it on the May ballot. If something happens, we still have another chance in November to get this passed.”

The resolution was passed unanimously as an emergency during Thursday’s special meeting at city hall.

Sutak stressed that the levy is a renewal — meaning no increase in taxes to residents. He also stressed how important the levy is.

“For the police department and for the safety [of the city], without this funding, we will not be able to support the police department. That’s why the great citizens of Martin Ferry originally passed it when it was brought up, so this is very important for this to be passed. We want to make sure people support this levy,” he said.

“This levy will give us first collection 2027 and then carry on for five years, and even though the tax evaluation will probably be higher than what it was when it originally voted, the levies roll back so you do not pay anymore than what you paid when it was openly put on the ballot and passed.”

The levy was passed in November of 2020, in a 1,373-1,036 decision, renewing a 5-mill tax levy for five years. The levy generates about $300,000 a year for the police department.

When the levy was first pitched to voters, city officials said the money generated from the measure would help lift the burden off the General Fund. Money from the levy can only be used for the police department and is set aside to do so.