WHEELING - The Ohio County Public Library now has its own levy and guaranteed funding for its budget.
County voters on Tuesday gave their approval to the levy, passing it with a vote total of 7,945 in favor and 2,337 against.
The levy is expected to generate about $1 million annually.
The Ohio County Library previously received funding from Ohio County Schools through its excess levy. But in 2021, the board reduced that funding by a third - dropping the rate from 3 cents per $100 in appraised property values to 2 cents. The move reduced the library's funding from about $884,547 annually to $589,698, according to data provided by the school district at that time.
The purpose of the library was to reinstate its funding to pre-2021 amounts, according to Amy Kastigar, director of the Ohio County Library.
Kastigar did not immediately return messages seeking comment Tuesday night.
The library levy will mean no new taxes to Ohio County voters, but insteads sets in writing an amount of funding to come to the library each year from the Ohio County Schools excess levy.
"I'm glad it passed," Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller said. "The library is a positive for our kids."