Dead end for road repairs? Springfield Township reaches tough crossroads after levy fails

The failure last month of a replacement levy to fund road repairs in Springfield Township could put the community in a bind come January, officials say.

Voters in the township, by an 18-vote margin, rejected the levy, which would have provided about $610,000 a year for road maintenance.

Highway Department Superintendent Ted Weinsheimer and trustees plan to make another levy attempt, most likely in the November election. The need is clear, he said Tuesday, because the current levy expires at the end of the year — leaving the township without a reliable source of revenue for road maintenance.

70 miles of road to keep up in Springfield Township

The current levy has brought in about $336,000 a year — enough for 3 to 5 miles of repairs, which cost about $50,000 to $162,000 a year per mile of road, depending on the pavement type.

The increased funds would have enabled the township to double the mileage of roads worked on and increase service levels.

Weinsheimer said the township is responsible for about 70 miles of road, and some streets haven't had significant work on them in 20 years. Some roads in the township fall under the purview of the county and state.

Weinsheimer said in an email the township has 293 roads, and in the past 10 years, 135 have been either paved or chip-sealed.

Another try at Springfield Township roads levy

Weinsheimer and Trustee Jeremy Caudill said the township will try to strike a balance between what's needed and what voters would approve for the next levy request in November.

If the levy doesn't get voters' approval next time around, the township's road program would run out of funds and come to a hard stop.

"If it doesn't pass, it's definitely going to put a damper on that," Caudill said in a recent interview.

Considering options for next attempt at levy funds

Caudill said the board of trustees will consider the levy options when the township receives data and input from the county.

Weinsheimer said he encountered a similar funding situation as city service director in Norton, where road work funds did dry up.

In that situation, he said, layoffs in the department became necessary. He doesn't expect that to happen in the township for its four road employees, who are responsible for a variety of road related functions, including snow removal.

The township's levy defeat came despite an 18-vote approval margin in election day voting, 1126 to 1108. But absentee and early voting against the levy — 163 to 129 against the measure — was enough to sink it.

A separate levy to fund police was approved on the same ballot by 230 votes.

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Funds for Springfield Twp. road programs will dry up at end of year