Property tax debt reported in Wintersville
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WINTERSVILLE -- On Thursday, Wintersville officials reported the village owes the state about $138,368 in back taxes, interest and penalties for non-payments.
Mayor Mike Petrella told council as a government entity, the village wouldn't owe the taxes but no one filed for an exemption for 26 of 72 parcels owned by the village.
Village Administrator Jessie Kosegi said he found notices for the delinquent taxes in a locked drawer at the Village Building, which is among property for which tax is owed.
Kosegi said the amounts owed range from $5.16 to $35,000 per parcel for tax bills dating from 1968 to last year.
Asked if the village can negotiate to have the debt reduced, he said, "As of now, no."
Kosegi said the village has been given the option of paying it off in two installments.
Petrella also had announced the discovery of a certificate of deposit account, worth $250,000, in the village's name at a local bank.
Asked if that may be used, "That's a hope. We don't know."
Following the meeting, Kosegi said the CD aside, the impact on the village's budget won't be as great because the village has been frugal in its spending.
"We're going to take a hit, but we're not going to go broke," he said.
Councilman Randy Spence said the CD wasn't mentioned at finance and budget meetings in recent years and its purpose isn't clear.
Following the meeting, Councilman Bob Merriman said money from the CD was to be used for infrastructural projects and local matches for grants received for them.
As chairman of the village's finance committee, he signed for the account with former Village Administrator Walt Ziemba and former Village Fiscal Officer Denise Geanangel.
Council agreed to have Councilwoman Gael Damron, council's current finance chair, and Spence, who is council's president, placed on the account.
The panel also designated four officials to sign off on payroll checks and other financial documents on the village. At Spence's motion, they will include the village's fiscal officer and finance chair and when a third signature is required, the village administrator or council president.
Spence said the practice establishes more checks and balances for the village's operations.
Petrella said it wasn't always followed in the past and is among changes recommended by Melanie Smith, a traveling clerk hired through the state auditor's office to oversee the village's financial operations until a full-time replacement can be found.
Plans were made for Smith to meet with the finance committee at 6 p.m. March 7 and tentatively, on March 13, to prepare council for approval of the village's next budget, which must occur before April 1.