Auburn Township will have a 5-year, 0.65-mill additional levy for streets, roads and bridges on the ballot in this year’s Nov. 5 General Election. Should voters approve the levy, it will collect $262,000 annually, amounting to $23 for each $100,000 in residential property valuation that will be first due in 2025, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Township Trustee Patrick Cavanagh said Auburn has had a long-standing plan for roads they’ve adhered to for the last 20 years. Depending on the level of funding voters approve of, the township has been between $900,000 and $1.1 million for actual road projects, resurfacings, constructions and things alike for close to a decade, he said. “What we’re seeking is not an increase even though there’s been rapid changes in prices,” Cavanagh said. “We’re just looking to continue on the same track we have been. We’ve always chased additional funding through the state programs available and to do that, you have to have your match from the local government.” A clerical error somewhere between the township’s office and the county offices was made in regard to the levy the township had on the books that should have been renewed in 2019, Cavanagh said. “It just didn’t happen,” he said. “So, that levy expired in 2019. The catch was the tax bill reflected it, so this was collected inappropriately. It should not have been collected and distributed to the township, so that came to an end last year, which subsequently cut our funding by that amount this year.” Cavanagh said the levy, which was inadvertently collected and distributed to the township, was spent appropriately, however, it has to be paid back. “We’re looking at an excess of $750,000,” he said. “That income level from that expired 1-mill levy brought us about $265,000, so when you see the amount we’re asking, it looks kind of weird. What’s going to happen is by law, it has to be refunded. It’s going to come from township funds and distributed to everyone who paid that levy for three years. “It’s all going back and we’ve already made most of the arrangements to do that through the county.” Even though it’s an additional levy on the ballot, Cavanagh said he’s treating it as a renewal levy as it’s adjusted to those funds from the expired levy. “Should voters see a way to pass it, we’re going to continue our program,” he said. “Next year, we have a huge subdivision and that project itself is going to run in excess of $1 million, our entire budget for a year for road projects. However, we have been putting some money away for that.” In 2026, the township is looking at a joint project that is Ohio Public Works Commission eligible for additional state funds. “We need to have that match in place to move on that project,” Cavanagh said. “Following that, our leading project at this point looks to be the final stretch of our east west collector roads.” Should the levy not pass, the township can only cut actual projects. “The voters have been supportive and we’re hoping to have confidence for us to continue the program,” Cavanagh said. There are currently 5,416 voters in Auburn Township, according to the Geauga County Elections Board.