Washington County 911 Levy Renewal Heads to November 3 Ballot

MARIETTA, Ohio — Washington County voters will see a renewal of the county’s 911 levy on the Nov. 3 ballot, according to WTAP.

The levy was initially approved in 2016 and raises $539,124 annually. The sheriff’s office uses the money for half the salaries of its 11 dispatchers. Marietta Police Department receives support for two full-time dispatchers. Belpre Police Department spends most of its portion on software licensing and equipment maintenance.

County 911 Director Douglas Moore said the levy pays for roughly 25% of 911 service costs. He said the county would be in a difficult spot if that funding ended.

Moore described pressure on staffing and equipment. He told WTAP that equipment spending cannot easily be reduced because of a flat budget, and that dispatchers cannot simply be cut because they already work at minimum staffing levels.

The measure is 0.35 mills. Ballot language cited by WTAP indicates an owner with $100,000 in assessed property value would pay about $12.

WTAP noted that video for the story would be added after it airs.