WARREN — In a do-over vote on a resolution allowing the replacement for the Trumbull Senior Services 0.75 mill levy, commissioners on Thursday voted 2-0 to send it to the Trumbull County Board of Elections so its language can be certified and placed on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

This vote took place just over 24 hours after Commissioners Mauro Cantalamessa and Niki Frenchko split the vote for and against. Because there was not a majority, the resolution failed.

Commission President Denny Malloy, who did not attend Wednesday morning’s regular commission meeting due to illness, later that day called for a special meeting so he could have input on whether the resolution should pass or fail.

Frenchko, who voted against the replacement levy Wednesday, sought to block the special meeting by emailing the commissioners clerk, suggesting yesterday’s meeting would be illegal because it was not called for during a regularly scheduled meeting.

“We checked with our attorney and were told the president of the board or two other members of the board could call for a special meeting,” Malloy said. “This does not violate the state’s open meeting rules. We provided the media 24 hours notice of the meeting. We followed all of the state rules.”

Frenchko did not attend yesterday’s special meeting, which was called specifically for the vote on the replacement levy.

The five year .75 mill replacement levy, if passed by voters in November, will allow the county to collect an estimated $3.6 million a year for the senior levy, an increase from the current $2.4 million a year.

County Auditor Martha Yoder said the increased amount of money that will be collected if the replacement levy is passed is based on increased valuation of properties in the county.

Cantalamessa, who previously stated he generally is against efforts to raise taxes, was convinced by supporters of the replacement levy to allow voters to decide the fate of the proposed levy by participating in the November election.

The commissioner, at the time, suggested if he has to face possible political repercussions for his support of this resolution, then allowing voters to have their say is a fight he was willing to take on.

Malloy, who during early discussions about the replacement levy made several arguments against it, also agreed to allow voters to make the final decision through their own votes instead of the commissioners making the decision for them.

In his earlier arguments, Malloy expressed concern that seniors that do not use any of the services provided by the senior services commission would be forced to pay the increased taxes.

He noted that many seniors and other Trumbull residents are on fixed or limited incomes and may have difficulties paying the extra money.

On Thursday, Malloy said providing services to seniors in need is worth the extra $10 per year.

After the vote, Senior Services Levy Administrator Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic emphasized the program has been operating with the same level of funding that it has since 2005.

Siskowic-Jurkovic said the program is doing less today because costs have significantly increased.

The new money raised from the replacement levy will not be enough to supply all of the needs of area seniors, but it will allow them to address many of the needs of people on senior services waiting lists.

Siskowic-Jurkovic described the children and relatives of seniors currently receiving senior services assistance may have to go to their relative’s homes to help them in bathing,cleaning up their homes and providing other services in order to help them maintain a level of independent living.

Carly Liptak, who works for St. Joes at the Mall, stated her program received $5,000 per year from the senior levy that assists her program’s senior exercise program and a Parkinson’s program.

“Thank you for voting yes,” Liptak said. “A lot of seniors rely on our services.”

Lynn Welsh, who works with Liptak, describes taking a balance class at the mall that helped her gain strength when each of her knees were replaced over the last five years.

She also participates in Silver Sneakers programs at the mall and teaches some of the classes.

Welsh said the programs at the mall help some seniors in maintaining their social lives.

David Mirkin, owner of Trumbull County’s Comfort Keepers, said the senior levy funds allow his company to provide rides for many area seniors.

Prior to Thursday’s vote, Frenchko said she could support a renewal levy for the seniors, which, if passed, would allow Trumbull Senior Services to collect the same amount it has been collecting since the levy was first passed in 2005.

The commissioner stated she has been against the replacement levy because it will be based on the most current property tax valuations, instead of valuations of properties when the levy was first passed in 2005.

Frenchko says increasing property taxes hurts senior citizens, whose biggest complaints are already unaffordable property tax increases and their utility increases.

“I would have supported a renewal, which would not have increased taxes further.,” Frenchko said.

The increased updated valuations would allow senior services to collect $1.2 million more per year than the $2.4 million that currently is collected annually, according to the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office estimates.

Frenchko argues it is a tax increase.

Malloy emphasized that Frenchko did not provide an alternative resolution that would have provided the commissioners an opportunity to vote on a renewal levy.

Frenchko on Wednesday also argued the language of the replacement levy has facilities in it and that should be taken out, because it could be later interpreted that the senior services commission could build a new building using the levy money.

Frenchko said the levy funds have not been, and should not be, used for building construction or renovation.

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