The Washington County Home can maintain operations through 2015 without increasing the current 2-mill levy, but it will be up to voters in November to decide whether that levy will continue.
"We'll be among several levies on the ballot this year, including the Washington County Library, Marietta schools, and Frontier schools levies, but all of those are asking for extra tax," said County Commissioner Sam Cook.
"The county home levy is just a renewal of the same tax people have been paying for the last 10 years," he said.
Informing the voting public and answering questions about the levy ballot issue is the task assigned to a 22-member committee authorized by the Washington County commissioners during an organizational meeting Wednesday at the county home.
Commissioner Steve Weber will co-chair the committee with Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz.
"We'll set up public meetings across the county on different nights, and those meeting times and dates will be published in the newspaper," Weber said. "During the meetings we will answer any questions from the public to the best of our ability.
Cook said there will be at least 40 public meetings scheduled.
The county home provides assisted living facilities for Washington County residents who may not be able to get into a nursing home or have nowhere else to go.
Set on a 270-acre farm, the home raises some livestock and produce to help offset expenses.
But the county home receives no federal or state grant monies and relies almost completely on the levy, which comes up for renewal every five years.
Administrator Ted Williams said the home has a staff of 43 employees providing services for residents who currently number 58, including 35 men and 23 women.
The home has a 100-bed capacity with double occupancy in most residents' rooms.
Williams said over a five-year period the resident population averages around 70 people.
"Non-elderly residents are asked to help out as they are able with farm chores, yard work, maintenance and kitchen work," Williams said.
None of the home's residents pay the full housing cost of $55 a day, Williams noted, but 28 provide some partial payment for their room and board. He said the remaining 30 residents can pay nothing at all.
"If the county home had to close, 12 residents would possibly be eligible to go to nursing homes, although none diagnosed with mental illness would be able to enter a nursing home," he said. "About five people could go to their families, but 31 would have no place to go."
Williams said 10 mentally retarded residents could go into institutions.
In addition to resident services, the county home levy provides for maintenance and upkeep of the facility.
"Some things we will need to address in the next five years include two elevators, the roof, hot water heaters, replacing windows and barn siding, and resurfacing of the driveways," Williams said.
During Wednesday's meeting, Warren Baker of Little Hocking said he had read newspaper reports that the county home had housed some sex offenders in the past.
Commissioner Cook said an issue about sex offenders residing at the home had come up a couple of years ago.
"The county sheriff now does complete background checks on all residents and the home does not take in anyone with a sex offense background," he said.
Commissioner Cora Marshall said a resolution authorizing the board of elections to put the county home levy on the November ballot will be adopted by the commissioners within the next two weeks.
