M-P moving forward on P.I. replacement levy

By Dean Shipley

Staff Writer

The Madison-Plains Board of Education (BOE) Tuesday evening took the first step toward placing a tax levy on the November ballot. The BOE  approved a resolution “declaring it necessary to levy a replacement  tax and requesting the county auditor to certify matters in  connection with the proposed levy.”

Treasurer Tim Dettwiller said currently the permanent improvement levy is collected at 1.25 mills. The replacement levy, if passed,   would be collected at 2.5 mills, “double what we get now.”

If approved the levy would collect, starting in January 2013, $335,000 per year for five years.

Dettwiller said, for example, the homeowner with a home valued at  $200,000 for tax-collection purposes, would pay $175 per year. That  homeowner currently pays $87.50 per annum.

Dettwiller said after the county auditor approves this portion of the process, then a resolution to proceed will be put before the board by  Aug. 2, the date the public was told the measure would be ready.

He said the resolution to proceed must be submitted to the board of  elections by Aug. 8 so it can be placed on the ballot for November 6, 2012. By law, the resolution has to be submitted at least 100 days prior to the election.

In other business, BOE president declared emphatically, girls will be  permitted to wear skirts and dresses to classes at Madison-Plains  Local Schools. Shorts, too.

The discussion continued on the appropriate length of the  aforementioned garments. Though there was no action taken specifically on that portion of the student handbook, a consensus was apparently reached on the length: three inches above the knee cap.

Superintendent Bernie Hall said while school principals may be the  final arbiters, the teachers, who see the students daily, will also  have input on judging a garment’s length.