PLYMOUTH — Plymouth voters will decide the fate of a new police levy during the May primary election.
On Tuesday, Plymouth Village Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring the necessity to go to the ballot for a 2-mill, 5-year police levy May 6.
Legislation reads that the levy’s purpose is for “providing and maintaining motor vehicles, communications, other equipment, buildings and sites for such buildings used directly in the operation of a police department.”
Plymouth Fiscal Officer DiAnn Jamerson said the issue would generate approximately $48,800 each year, according to the Richland County Auditor’s office.
Those funds would be used to pay for items such as mandatory software — including LEADS (Law Enforcement Automated Data System), the MARCS radio system, computers and other items as determined by council, Jamerson said.
If passed in May, the tax will cost Plymouth property owners 20 cents per each $100 of the county auditor’s appraised value, according to the passed legislation.
It would commence in 2025 and be first due in calendar year 2026.
Village enters five-year contract with Rumpke
During council’s last regular meeting of 2024, Plymouth lawmakers approved a five-year contract with Rumpke of Northern Ohio, Inc. for solid waste services.
The contract will commence Jan. 1. Rumpke’s bid for the contract, $678,256.20, came in about $20,000 less than Willard Sanitation’s bid of $696,600.
“I’m satisfied with that,” said James Burton, village administrator. “I think that was a good thing, putting it up for bid.”
Furthermore, Village Council passed a resolution to reduce the 2025 monthly trash pick-up per customer rate to $18. The current monthly rate is $19.
Plymouth’s new contract with Rumpke has reduced the service charge for 2025, thus lowering customers’ rates.
The $18 monthly rate will commence with the first 2025 billing cycle for Rumpke-provided trash services.
In other action Tuesday, Village Council:
— approved temporary appropriations for 2025 and amended 2024 permanent appropriations.
— provided pay ranges for village employee positions commencing in 2025.
— appointed James Burton, village administrator, as the village’s prevailing wage coordinator.
— accepted the nomination of Susan Moore and Jeff Brown to the annual 2025 certification of the Volunteer Firefighters’ Dependent Fund Board.
— set the 2025 compensation for the village employees.
— employed Renwick, Welsh and Burton LLC as the village’s legal counsel from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025.