BELMONT — Village officials are looking to regroup after voters soundly rejected a proposed operating levy that would have helped fund the village’s police department and cemetery upkeep.

The 3.5-mill levy was voted down 139-62 during the Nov. 5 election, and council considered next steps during a Nov. 6 meeting in which village finances were discussed at length.

Board of Public Affairs President Ken Davis said a number of residents he had spoken with had been put off by the language of the defeated 3.5-mill levy, citing that their tax dollars would go into the general fund and then be appropriated by council.

Davis also said he thought more outreach would have helped.

Council members briefly discussed trying for two separate levies at the next opportunity, one for the police and one for the cemetery.

Fiscal Officer Ricky Burkhead informed council that the $20,000 the village has been supplementing the police budget with yearly is not sustainable.

Burkhead added that he felt that funding the cemetery was the more critical issue.

Mayor Ron Woods offered his opinion.

“I’m just going to suggest out of caution that we should run just the cemetery levy first because they did just reassess people’s property values, and I think people are nervous about how much their taxes are going to go up. I’d like to make sure that cemetery is taken care of,” he said. “There’s a lot of people in that cemetery that grew up in this town that dedicated everything to making this town the way it is, so taking care of it is the least we can do.”

Council agreed with Woods. Councilwoman Sarah Scott made a motion to have Burkhead prepare a levy resolution for cemetery upkeep for the next election. Burkhead noted he would have to calculate the needed amount, but that it would likely be either 0.75 or 1 mill.

Council approved Scott’s motion, with Burkhead saying he did not yet know when the next election would be held.

Burkhead also said council would need to hold a Finance Committee meeting sometime before the December council meeting to discuss police hours for 2025 and water rates in addition to how the village will continue to pay for cemetery upkeep.

Regarding water rates, Burkhead had said at a previous meeting that a rate increase would be needed next year. He explained the situation in more detail at the November meeting.

“Your rates for the county go up first of the year, and this year was really tough. You had several big breaks, you had tank inspections that had to be done, and you had nearly no rain for three months,” he said.

He added that he had always assessed the village’s water rates based on village wells producing about 60% of the water used in the village on average, but due to the extended dry period this summer the village had been purchasing around 70% from the county.

He noted that it might be necessary to supplement the water fund from the general fund before the end of the year.

During his monthly report, Davis informed council that the village had purchased 71% of its water from the county during the month of October. He said the water level in the village-owned wells had dropped significantly but had then held steady at that lower level.

Davis said he was pleased with the way demolition of the old Belmont school building was progressing and that the crew doing the work had managed to not harm the sidewalk at the front of the property.

He went on to say they had kept some bricks as well as the cornerstone from the building so they could be used should officials decide to erect a monument commemorating the building sometime in the future.

In other business, council held the first reading of legislation to change the notice requirements for the village’s property maintenance, upkeep, and high grass ordinances.

Village Solicitor T.J. Schultz said the updated ordinances would alleviate issues with residents and property owners refusing certified letters and allow the village to enter a property in order to cut the grass and recoup the cost through tax assessments, although he urged that the village only cut the grass of unoccupied residences.

Schultz said the legislation also shortened the time allowed for correcting violations from 30 days to 15 days.

Council also approved purchasing two $50 Riesbeck’s gift cards for two women who had volunteered to fix the village’s veteran wreaths.

Belmont Village Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month in the Stanley Sobel Village Offices on Brown Street.