ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Belmont County voters apparently chose carefully Tuesday when deciding the fate of levies in their communities, and many important ones were voted down.
Among issues defeated were a levy to benefit social service programs in the county and another from the city of Bellaire that would have been used to fund police department there.
In Shadyside Local School District, where teachers recently served a strike notice, voters struck down the renewal of a 5.4-mill school levy. There were 896 residents there who voted for the levy, while 1,124 said "no."
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Photo by Joselyn King
Incumbent Bridgeport Exempted Village School District Board of Education members Don Cash, left, Roger Stewart and Jerry Moore look over election results Tuesday night at the Belmont County Board of Elections. Cash and Stewart were re-elected, but Moore was edged out by newcomer Jodi L. Harness.
Also in Shadyside, voters opted to renew a 4-mill current expenses levy to benefit the village with a vote of 763 in favor and 662 against.
The additional 5-mill levy in Bellaire for operation of the police department received 369 votes, while 428 ballots were cast against it.
The county levy to benefits social service programs would have been for 1 mill for a period of 10 years. Voters rejected this by a vote of 9,725 to 8,344.
Also defeated was the replacement of a 4-mill levy in the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District, which lost by a vote of 773 in favor to 859 against.
Among levies passing Tuesday was an additional 5-mill fire levy in the village of Flushing. There were 157 voters who approved of the levy and 80 who said "no."
A levy to benefit St. Clairsville police also was victorious and passed 1,133 to 589.
In Pease Township, voters overwhelmingly passed the renewal of a 0.5-mill levy for fire protection. They voted 750 in favor and 302 against.
Voters in both Barnesville and St. Clairsville also agreed their respective communities should opt out of the Natural Gas Aggregation Program.
The vote total in St. Clairsville was 1,183 in favor to 492 opposed. In Barnesville, 593 voted "yes," while 315 checked "no."
Three local options regarding the sale of liquor in Belmont County also passed Tuesday.
Voters in Neffs agreed to allow Sunday sales of liquor at the Quick Stop Barack by a vote of 248-204.
In St. Clairsvillle, voters approved Sunday sales of liquor at Sam's Club by a vote of 207 to 176 and at Wal-Mart by a vote of 206 to 175.