Senior Center levy renewal brings stability

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- On Tuesday, voters decided to renew the Muskingum County Center for Senior’s levy.

The five-year, half-mill levy was passed by 1,680 votes; 3,245 voted in favor of the levy and 1,565 voted against it.

Funds from this contribute to approximately 45 percent of the centers operating budget according to Ann Combs, Executive Director of the Muskingum County Center for Senior’s.

“In the times where funding through the federal and the state government [are] seeing budget cuts everywhere, it’s crucial that our funding at a local level remain solid and in tact,” said Combs. “I’m so grateful that the voters decided to support us in our efforts.”

Combs said the levy will allow the center to continue to provide services such as nutrition, non-emergency transportation and activities to seniors– something they weren’t sure they would be able to maintain.

“This election was very unsure and the fact that it was a very small election, it was not a primary and being one of only three issues on the Muskingum County ballot, there was some unsurety there,” said Combs. “To see that our support was definitely there for us just makes this day just a great day for the seniors of Muskingum County.”

Other issues on the ballot included the Dresden Village streets and road levy and the East Muskingum Local School District levy; both of which did not receive passing votes.