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Portage County voters to decide on funds needed to maintain parks, trails and other natural areas
By Bob Downing
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Jul 19, 2008
The Portage Park District is asking voters to pass a 0.5-mill levy for operations in the November election.
The park district's five commissioners on Thursday approved the levy request that would raise nearly $1.7 million a year for 10 years.
The money would be used to operate and maintain parks and trails and to conserve forests, wetlands and other natural areas to improve water quality and wildlife habitat.
If approved by voters, the levy would be the first for the countywide park district. Levy requests were rejected in 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2001.
The levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 house about $18 a year.
''This is a tremendous opportunity for Portage County residents,'' said Gary Cross, president of the park board. ''For a few pennies a day, we can conserve important natural areas and operate safe, clean parks close to home for free public use.''
The levy would provide the local dollars needed to match federal grants, said Christine Craycroft, the park district's executive director.
The district operates on an annual budget of about $175,000, with most of the money coming from the Portage County commissioners and the state.
That is barely enough to cover maintenance on existing park properties, Craycroft said.
A grass-roots group, Citizens for Portage Park District, is supporting the levy request.
''There is a great need for this small levy, which would cost the owner of a $100,000 house less than $1.50 per month — less than a half-gallon of gas,'' said Chairman Dick Abbott of Franklin Township.
The grass-roots group is seeking volunteers to build awareness of the park district and the proposed levy.
The group will hold a potluck volunteer orientation at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at Camp Spelman in Franklin Township. For information, go to http://www.citizensforportageparks.org.
The park district operates Towner's Woods in Franklin Township, Dix Park in Ravenna Township, the Headwaters Trail between Mantua and Garrettsville, the Portage Hike and Bike Trail between Kent and Ravenna and Seneca Ponds Park in Streetsboro.
It has five other properties not yet open to the public because of lack of funds.
For information, contact the park district at 330-297-7728 or http://www.portageparkdistrict.org.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.
The Portage Park District is asking voters to pass a 0.5-mill levy for operations in the November election.
Get the full article here.
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