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Perrysburg Council declares necessity for garbage levy, street‑tree and streetlight assessments after resident questions city reserves
Summary
Council passed three resolutions declaring a necessity for a replacement garbage levy and special assessments for street trees and lights; a resident urged council not to seek additional levies, citing the city's reported cash reserves and arguing the general fund could cover costs.
Perrysburg City Council passed three separate resolutions declaring a need for assessment or levy measures for refuse collection, street trees and street lighting.
Resolution 15‑20‑25 declared the necessity for a replacement levy in excess of the 10‑mill limitation pursuant to ORC 705.19 for the purpose of collection and disposal of garbage. Resolutions 16‑20‑25 and 17‑20‑25 addressed assessments related to shade tree removal/treatment and street lighting improvements respectively.
During public comment, resident Sarah Weisenberger of 605 West Front Street urged council not to place additional financial burdens on property owners. She cited the city’s audited financial statements and said, “According to 2023’s audited financials, we’re sitting on $28,000,000 in cash and equivalents,” and asked why the city could not fund refuse, tree and light programs from those reserves rather than seek new levies or assessments.
Members of council and administration responded that refuse collection is funded under a separate program structure and that commercial businesses pay their own refuse costs; council members argued that moving refuse collection into the general fund could create administrative and cost implications and might reduce resident services. The law director and finance representatives also noted the resolutions are procedural steps declaring necessity and do not by themselves levy new taxes; any levy or assessment would follow statutory procedures and, where required, voter approval.
Council moved each resolution through the required readings this evening and approved the measures to permit further procedural steps. Council explained the declaration of necessity is a statutory document to allow the city to proceed with required timelines and public notices if a levy or assessment is placed on the ballot or otherwise assessed.
What’s next: each resolution’s declaration of necessity starts the statutory timeframe for any subsequent ballot or special-assessment steps. Council said staff will continue to present budget details and timeline items in follow-up meetings.
