The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) paid more than $275,000 in real estate taxes this year in 12 counties in the watershed region, making significant contributions to county revenues.

A detailed report of the real estate taxes paid by the MWCD was presented recently to the MWCD Board of Directors, which requested the information.

“There is a misconception on the part of some that the MWCD does not pay real estate taxes,” said David Parham, a member of the MWCD Board of Directors. “MWCD actually pays real estate taxes on its land that is leased or used for commercial or residential purposes, including marinas and cottage sites at nine reservoir areas.”

The county receiving the largest amount of property tax dollars from MWCD in 2007 was Carroll County, to which the MWCD paid nearly $107,000, including more than $60,000 for Atwood Lake Resort and Conference Center. Richland County received more than $42,000 from MWCD, Harrison County more than $37,000 and Ashland and Tuscarawas counties each received more than $24,000. Belmont, Coshocton, Guernsey, Knox, Muskingum, Noble and Stark counties also received property tax dollars from the MWCD.

The MWCD also will pay more than $41,000 annually when the conservancy district collects an assessment beginning in 2008 for maintenance of the system of reservoirs and dams in the Muskingum River Watershed.

“By law, land owned by the MWCD is not exempt from assessments and is subject to the maintenance assessment,” said James J. Pringle of the New Philadelphia law firm Miller & Kyler, who serves as chief legal counsel to the MWCD.

The share of the assessment to be paid by MWCD for maintenance of the reservoirs and dams will come from traditional MWCD revenue sources generated by the conservancy district’s recreation and land stewardship activities.

“It is appropriate that a portion of the fees generated from those who use and enjoy the facilities provided by the MWCD will be used to perform needed maintenance and to ensure public safety,” said John M. Hoopingarner, MWCD executive director/secretary.

The MWCD Board of Directors recently approved a plan of maintenance and major rehabilitation of the aging infrastructure of reservoirs and dams that reduces flooding and conserves water for public uses in the Muskingum River Watershed. The $210 million plan will be funded by an assessment of property owners in the watershed beginning next year.

The MWCD projects that an estimated $10.5 million annually would be generated from the assessment of property owners for public health and safety projects to safeguard the reservoirs and dams. The system of reservoirs and dams constructed in the 1930s in the MWCD region has prevented billions of dollars worth of potential property damage and saved countless lives.

The MWCD projects that 94 percent of the nearly 500,000 parcels subject to the assessment would pay an annual fee of $12. According to the Ohio law that oversees conservancy districts, the assessment fee is collected as part of a property owner’s regular county property tax collection. Projected assessments can be reviewed online at the MWCD website at www.mwcd.org , and the MWCD also can be contacted toll-free at (866) 755-6923.

The MWCD, a political subdivision of the state, was organized in 1933 to develop and implement a plan for flood reduction and water conservation in the watershed that spans all or portions of 18 counties. By 1938, 14 reservoirs and dams were constructed.

The MWCD manages the reservoir areas behind the dams in the watershed, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) owns the dams. The reservoirs, some of which have permanent pools of water (lakes) for water conservation and recreation programs, hold floodwaters temporarily for safe release downstream during flooding conditions.

The counties wholly or partially contained in the MWCD jurisdiction are Ashland, Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Richland, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, Washington and Wayne.

In other business, the Board:

• Heard that the audit report of the MWCD budget by the State of Ohio conducted recently for the years 2005 and 2006 went very well. Ron Komorowski of the accounting firm S.R. Snodgrass of Steubenville, which conducted the audit, said a final report should be released soon by the State Auditor’s office. He told the Board that the MWCD financial and budget procedures are exemplary and that no material issues were identified during the audit process.
• Approved the purchase of a new telephone system for the MWCD main office at the low-bid price of $29,829 from Teledata Systems of Dover.
• Approved a public records request policy as required by the passage of House Bill 9 in 2006 by the Ohio General Assembly.
• Approved rates for 2008 for family vacation cabin rentals at Atwood, Pleasant Hill, Seneca and Tappan lake parks. Rates for nightly and weekly rentals will not be increased from 2007 rates. The family vacation cabins sleep up to six persons, have their own bathroom facilities and at Atwood and Tappan parks, have heating and air conditioning systems.