Bethel Journal from Bethel, Ohio • Page A1

Vol. 115 No. 49 The Community Press A LL IGHTS ESERVED The Bethel Journal 3 94 Wards Corner Road, uite 170 45140 For the Postmaster Published weekly every Thursday eriodicals postage paid at 45106 ISSN 1066-7458 USPS 053-040 Postmaster: Send address change to The Bethel Journal, 394 Wards Corner 45140 Annual subscription: Weekly Journal In-County other in-state and out-of-state $20.00 ETHEL ETHEL JOURNAL COMMUNITY MATTERS Your Community Press newspaper serving Bethel, Chilo, Felicity, Franklin Township, Moscow, Neville, Tate Township, Washington Township News 248-8600 etail advertising 768-8404 Classified advertising 242-4000 elivery 576-8240 See page A2 for additional information Contact us THE REEN A5 Corned beef raditional St. Day fare VISIT US NLINE Find local news at incinnati.com The Bethel-Tate Local chools Board of Education will a its Wednesday, March 25, eeting consider $1million worth of budget cuts that could be used to head off an anticipated deficit in that amount. District Superintendent Melissa Kircher said she and Treas urer Julie Kamphaus will pre- ent the possible cuts at the eeting at Bethel-Tate Middle School, 649 W.

PlaneSt. in Bethel. Awork session will begin at 6 and the regular meeting at 7 he Bethel-Tate school board directed Kircher and Kamphaus to research cuts after a budget review predicted that the dist rict will be $1million in the hole the end of June 2017. he board of education also has been discussing the possibility of pursuing a levy, but has not committed to that route much less chosen the kind or size of levy they could support. ptions include an operating evy, an income-tax levy, a perm anent-improvement levy and an emergency levy.

is still being Vern of the Bet hel-Tate school board, said. But, if we do go to the com- unity and ask for additional funding, we want to make sure that have their upport and that hey understand that we have done everything that we can do before coming to Bastin said the Bethel-Tate chool district has not passed an perating levy since 1989. That was prior to the construction of the high Bastin said. district has effectively oubled its square footage, but as been operating on a budget hat only took into account half of that. state funding formulations are always changing and nfortunately not in a good astin said.

Looking at our five-year forecast, we must decrease our budget by What jobs and services are likely on the chopping block? have instructed the ad- inistration to look at and form ulate a plan that would allow us provide the most amount of services to our students, as well as save the district the $1million that we are Bastin said. Bethel-Tate does not have a pending problem, we have a evenue problem. are among one of the lowest cost per-pupil and one of the highest-rated districts in the Bastin said. That tells me that we have i ncredible staff, from our custodians and food service to our bus drivers, teachers and administration. is very unfortunate that we have to do this, but our goal is make the impact on our stud ents as painless as astin said.

Want to know more about what is happening in Bethel and Tate Township? Follow me on Twitter houck. Bethel-Tate takes up $1million in cuts March 25 Jeanne Houck Bastin oping to help fill a need for her family, randy Ward turned to a website that in recent months has become all too amiliar Go Fund Me. The request $10,000 to get ahandicap accessorized van for her medically fragile brother Brandon Werring and her parents Lisa and Russell Werring. You can find the page at gofundme.com/vanfor randon iving in rural Jackson ownship, Clermont County, he Werrings are in country. Open fields as far as he eyes can see.

Along the ay, the landscape is dotted with homes, barns, pastures and silos. There are no sidewalks leading to a conve- ience store much less a doc- office. Out there, without wheels, folks get around. At 24, Brandon Werring has many appoint- ents to keep and like an infant is completely dependent on others for his care. uring the recent round of cold weather, the current van proved unreliable.

Russell Werring had hoped to equip a 1998 Ford Windstar they have to transport his son. He recently sent it to a shop to get an itemized ill for fixing it up. It (be equipped), the arts are he said. ard was aware of all of this. I knew that they had a ouple of different vans for Brandon.

They were all older and had to have work done on them and all kinds of money ut in she said. need something reliable that they have to put a lot of money Before she posted the need, Ward called to her mom ut immediately forthcoming about her project. called and asked me a unch of questions and I wanted to know what Lisa Werring said. Of course, the Werrings were touched by their thoughtfulness. For the Werrings, having Brandon as a son and brother as been a blessing, a chal- enge and a learning experi- nce.

Since his infancy, he has een medically fragile having been bed and chair bound for he entirety of his life. A shared in Face- book and Go Fund Me Pages, Brandon Werring was diag- THANKS TO BRANDY WARD Lisa and Russell Werring with daughter Brandy Ward and son Brandon Werring. Werring family needs van for disabled son Sheila Vilvens Afire levy will be on the Nov ember ballot for Pierce Township residents. Acting on a recommendation from its Finance Committee, he Board of Trustees voted March 11to place a 2.1-mill, 10- ear fire levy on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Voters rejected a 2.8-mill continuing fire levy last Nov ember. Since then members of the Finance Committee, comprised of township residents with backgrounds, have been meeting and considering options. One problem residents identified they struggled with in terms of the last levy was its continuing nature, committee ember Greg Ossege said. The other issue was the amount. people thought it was retty he said.

The Finance Committee members explained that for 2 015 they are able to recommend a lower millage rate due to a couple of key factors: the osses from the W.C. Beckjord Power Plant closure are not as large at this time as originally anticipated, and the committee is recommending the fire department use its carryover balance of In considering the impact of he Beckjord closure, the committee had better numbers to work with this year, committee ember Stan Shadwell said. Last year the committee anticipated the loss of all tax dollars provided by the power plant, he said. For the fire department alone in 2014 that represented a loss of $335,000. New financial data indicates that the township ill not lose all tax dollars col- ected from the power plant, at east not in the immediate fut ure, he said.

In February Pierce Towns hip Trustees received updated inancial numbers related to retirement. According to numbers shared by Clermont County Chief Deputy Aud itor Chuck Tilbury, the town- hip stands to lose nearly $700,000 revenue annually as a result of the closure. The anticipated revenue loss can be seen in several funds: $34,234.44 from the general fund; $57,011.25 from the road a nd bridge fund; $69,463.52 from the waste fund; $291,016.31 from police; and $229,097.94 rom for a total of $680,823.46. These figures compare 2014 actual receipts to 2016 a nticipated receipts. The plant was officially retired last September.

This eans that it was taken offline and is no longer producing energy. The process of closing the plant is ongoing. Many things were taken into consideration as part of this review process, committee member Ben Pugh said. The depart- ent is in need of at least one new ambulance, a new pumper and requires incredibly expen- ive equipment. Much of the equipment is federally mandated meaning if the fire department have it, it could be out of compliance, Pugh said.

likes to increase taxes. Nobody likes to pay more committee member ave Gooch said. People do exp ect to have quality, profession- a safety services in the towns hip. The proposal from the Finance Committee is the best alt ernative for keeping and aintaining the services residents expect, he said. The last fire levy approved Fire levy to return to Pierce Twp.

ballot Sheila Vilvens Pierce Township voters will have evy on the ballot this November to support the fire department..