Sabina’s General Fund running low, says its fiscal officer

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SABINA — Saying the town’s General Fund is in danger of falling short of dollars, village officials hope the Ohio tax commissioner and a local judge grant a $200,000 transfer from the Sabina Sewer Fund to general operations, including police.

Council unanimously passed legislation Thursday that authorizes the law director to ask Clinton County Common Pleas Court to approve the transfer of money from the village’s Sewer Fund to its General Fund.

Council’s measure states the $200,000 being eyed is not currently being used for capital improvements to the sanitary sewer system, nor are there any substantial sewer improvements being considered in the foreseeable future. The legislation also states a sum of $200,000 would remain in the Sewer Fund after the transfer, and the amount is enough for needed improvements or projects.

Sabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell, who has spoken about the difficult General Fund picture previously, said Thursday, “We are running out of money.”

If the proposed transfer of money from the Sewer Fund to the General Fund is not granted, she said, “I don’t know how we’re going to finish the year with the General Fund.”

The General Fund is separate from the village’s Water, Sewer, Sanitation, Street Maintenance & Repair, and Pool Enterprise Funds. Many of the General Fund dollars go to the Sabina Police Department.

Thursday’s resolution declares that the $200,000 transfer is a necessity, and cites a loss of revenues from the losses of several major employers formerly located in Sabina. Among the employers named are Mac Tools, Palm Harbor Industries, and Bundy Tubing. Reduced funds from the State of Ohio also are identified as part of the problem.

Those two factors yielded a decline in revenues for the village of more than $160,000 annually, states the resolution.

After council passed the resolution, Sabina Mayor Dean Hawk said of the funds transfer process, “Get her done.”

The session of council also held good news announcements: First, the Ohio Development Services Agency has awarded a $300,000 grant for storm sewer reconstruction in Sabina.

The storm sewer runs down Jefferson Street and Solutions Avenue under the railroad, Mound Street and to the creek, Hawk reported to council. The portion to be repaired is from U.S. 22/S.R. 3 to behind the houses on Mound Street.

“This has been caving in under the railroad and Mound Street for years, but repair was so costly we could not afford to work on it. We think some of the water problems between Mound Street and the railroad may be caused by leakage of this storm line,” the mayor said.

The construction is anticipated for 2017.

The Jefferson Street project, it was reported previously, would involve replacing 1,700 linear feet of storm sewer, 14 catch basins, seven manholes, and jacking and boring of the storm sewer under railroad tracks.

The second piece of good news announced Thursday is a Wilson Creek phase of the Mary’s Fork/Wilson Creek cleanup project also was approved for funds.

Also at the council meeting:

The Sabina Municipal Pool’s total revenues this year, including about $16,000 in donations, came to $55,041, Cornell reported. She called that “really a nice number.”

Currently, pool expenditures for the year stand at $36,225.

Sabina Village Councilman Bill Lewis said the issue of Trahera Lane which is in town but is not a village-dedicated street “needs to be back on the table to be resolved.” Village Councilman Mike Walls, however, said there are several Trahera Lane residents who don’t want it to happen.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.

Sabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell says the village is running out of General Fund money.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/08/web1_cornell_horiz_p_f.jpgSabina Fiscal Officer Nancy L. Cornell says the village is running out of General Fund money.
Town needs court’s say-so to withdraw $200K from Sewer Fund

By Gary Huffenberger

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