Columbiana County Park District board members don’t plan to try another levy attempt in 2025 due to the cost of going on the ballot during an off year.

But board members did agree to have Chairman Eileen Dray-Bardon send a letter out asking for donations from past supporters, explaining the dire straits created by the levy failure.

According to Dray-Bardon, the levy attempt failed worse this time than the previous times, even though the request was less than before. Voters defeated the new .10-mill, five-year tax levy with 28,537 votes or 62.73 percent against it and 16,956 votes or 37.27 percent in favor of the levy, according to complete, but unofficial results from the Columbiana County Board of Elections.

Dray-Bardon wasn’t sure what changed from the defeat in March to the defeat in November.

“I think inflation has impacted people,” she said, regardless of the fact that the new levy would have cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 a mere $3.50 per year. “We know there’s an anti-tax mentality in Columbiana County.”

The 1 percent sales tax, which was a renewal for another five years, failed by an even larger margin than the park levy, with more than 73 percent of voters saying no.

When it comes to the county park district, she said “people don’t know who we are or what we have,” adding that a slim minority of people in Columbiana County know the Greenway trail is here.

Next year will be the 25th anniversary of the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail maintained by the park district, covering 15 miles of paved trail stretching from Washingtonville, through Leetonia and stretching through Lisbon.

The district also operates Scenic Vista Park which covers 250-plus acres in Center Township and includes an 18-hole disc golf course, hiking trails and pavilion, Hellbender Bluff Park covering 752 acres in Madison Township and the historical Ohio Supreme Court meeting site marker on state Route 7 in Fairfield Township.

With the limited resources available, Dray-Bardon asked “how do we make more people aware of the park? Are people looking on our Facebook page?”

Board member Dave Hughes said they appreciated the voters who did support the park district. He commented that his taxes went up $600 last year and that wasn’t voted on or caused by any new levies — that was from the revaluation of property values required by the state, which in turn led to increases on tax bills.

The park district put in a request from the county commissioners for $75,000 from the general fund if the levy failed, but Dray-Bardon doesn’t see that happening since the 1 percent sales tax went down.

Board members didn’t make any decisions regarding cutbacks to maintenance of park properties since everything’s winding down now for winter.

As of the end of October, the fund balance for the park district stood at $106,000 and will go down even more next year with no additional income. The only definite money the park district receives comes from $15,000 received annually from the Local Government Fund. A lot of the recent expansions of properties came at no cost to the park district, such as the additional 1-mile of trail along state Route 154 in Lisbon and the plans to acquire Kerestes Cliffs. The park district has also taken advantage of grants.

In other business, the board agreed to accept a feasibility done by Woolpert and paid for by the Columbiana County Port Authority for a route to expand the Greenway trail from Lisbon to East Liverpool, but admitted it will have to be set aside as a plan for the future. The preferred route alignment follows the local roadway network, following state Route 154 to Middle Beaver Road to state Route 7 to East Liverpool Road to Calcutta Smith Ferry Road, then into East Liverpool via St. Clair Avenue.

The board also heard an update on the Greenway trail bridge repair project between state Route 558 and Washington Street in Leetonia, which is expected to be finished sometime Thursday. Gary Dailey is doing the work. The $7,500 cost is being paid by the Friends of the Park.

Tennessee Pipeline is also expected to complete work to replace their pipe on their easement that goes under the Greenway trail, with hopes that the paving can be done in early December.

Both projects are supposed to be finished in time for the Greenway half marathon set to take place Saturday, kicking off from Leetonia.

The board also heard a presentation from Eddie Williams of Hilcorp Energy regarding the placement of seismic sensors along the Greenway trail. The board gave Dray-Bardon permission to sign the permit, with board members recommending a 60-day time limit and a requirement for notification of entry.

The board discussed problems with one of the district’s two mowers, with the decision made to submit a request to county commissioners for $22,000 from American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase a new mower.

The district also is expecting to receive a $500 wildlife education grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to help pay for programs in 2025.

mgreier@mojonews.com