11-04-2025
Renewal levies, alcohol issues on May ballot
Apr. 11—Voters in the region's cities and villages have an assortment of alcohol issues and renewal levies to consider in the upcoming May 6 election.
Early in-person voting at county boards of elections and absentee voting began Tuesday. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6 at voting precincts.
—Delphos parks issue: Delphos residents can continue to raise an estimated $600,000 a year for parks and recreation with the renewal of a 0.25% income tax.
The five-year levy, first passed in May 2014, maintains the five public parks, a walking trail at Delphos Gillmor Reservoir and the municipal swimming pool in "America's Friendliest City."
The parks district has a total of 100 acres and offers tennis courts, basketball courts, shelter houses, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, volleyball courts and horseshoe courts, according to
—Ottawa alcohol issue: Ottawa's voters will be asked to create the Ottawa Revitalization District. It would allow selling beer and intoxicating liquor seven days a week in a portion of the Putnam County village's downtown where it's currently forbidden due to an ordinance passed in the 1980s.
The proposed district has boundaries between Second Street and Fourth Street in the village between Oak Street and Cox Street. It includes a stretch of six blocks along U.S. 224, which is Main Street in the village.
If passed, any business that incorporates alcohol sales would have to show that 75 percent of its annual sales came through food and non-alcoholic beverages, the village announced in February.
—Leipsic renewal levy: Voters in Leipsic will be asked to continue a 0.5% income tax renewal that's earmarked for paying off debt on reservoir construction and removing blighted properties.
Renee Spangler, the Putnam County village's fiscal officer and tax administrator, said 91% of the levy proceeds are directed to the reservoir road. Several homes have been demolished using the remaining portion of the loan, including a dilapidated house on Main Street. If the levy passes, the collected money will be used in the same way over the next 10 years.
—Wawa liquor request: People living in the Shawnee L precinct in Allen County will decide whether wine and mixed beverages can be sold at the new Wawa gas station and convenience store under construction at 3701 S. Dixie Highway, Lima.
—Prairie View Golf Club liquor request: Voters in Wayne Township in Auglaize County have two local liquor options to consider. Prairie View Golf Club, 26820 state Route 67, Waynesfield, requested licenses to sell wine and mixed beverages and to sell wine and mixed beverages on Sundays.
UPCOMING COVERAGE
The Lima News will share details about various issues on the May ballot:
—Today: Municipal issues
—Wednesday: State Issue 2
—Saturday April 19: Elida's renewal and other school levies
—Wednesday, April 23: St. Marys' contested city elections and renewal levies
—Saturday, April 26: Allen County Children Services' renewal levy
—Wednesday, April 30: Auglaize County Board of Health's replacement levy
See election coverage at
Reach David Trinko at 567-242-0467 or on Twitter/X @Lima_Trinko.
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