Local governing bodies hold joint meeting — growth, levies and taxes broached
- Published: August 6, 2026
For the first time in over three years, representatives from all three local governmental bodies — Village Council, Yellow Springs Board of Education and Miami Township Board of Trustees — gathered in one room.
The goal of the two-hour meeting held Thursday, July 9, was to discuss ways the three groups could work more closely and collaboratively on matters of development, finances and, more generally, small-town cohesion.
The meeting was streamed on the Village’s YouTube channel, and can be watched here.
“We obviously draw from the same pool as taxing agencies from villagers and the township,” Council President Gavin DeVore Leonard said at the outset of the discussion.
“I think people are counting on us to collaborate and communicate — to, at least, check in once a year and to see how it’s going, what big projects are coming up, what’s going on,” he said.
Joining him as Village representatives were Council member Stephanie Pearce, Village Manager Johnnie Burns and Village Clerk Judy Kintner. Representing the Board of Education were Board President Amy Bailey and board member Krisi Myers. Representing the Township were Trustee Chair Marilan Moir and Trustee Lori Askeland, as well as Miami Township Fire-Rescue Chief James Cannell.
While all three groups conferred over their respective current initiatives —municipal infrastructure projects, school renovations and township code updates — what loomed large over the discussion was how each group and their constituents would be affected by a projected uptick in local population from the ongoing housing boom in Yellow Springs.
“The fact that we have 300-plus units in the pipeline — if we have this much housing, it’s going to affect the number of fire runs, the number of students we have,” DeVore Leonard said. “So, there’s value in checking in on the moving parts.”
DeVore Leonard alluded to the continued expansion of the Spring Meadows subdivision, the anticipated apartments near Antioch College and possibly an affordable housing project on the Village-owned Glass Farm.
“We have room to grow,” Bailey said of the school district. “If we saw a significant increase in population, then open enrollment would have to start decreasing. But our new buildings have been designed for [additional] space.”
In response to a query from Askeland, Bailey noted that YS Schools haven’t seen a “significant amount” of new students from the 80-some homes currently built in Spring Meadows.
In terms of development on the 25 square miles that surround Yellow Springs — which are governed by the Township trustees — that land isn’t as subject to the kind of residential development expected within village limits.
Burns reminded those at the meeting that Yellow Springs’ urban service boundary — the reach of municipal utilities — only extends so far, and conservation easements on much of the surrounding farmland preclude non-agricultural endeavors.
“I’m not pro-development of sprawl into the township,” Chair Moir asserted. “But I admit I don’t know enough … If by not being proactive, then we’d be letting it just happen to us, like what happened all around Columbus or Beavercreek.”
Though there hasn’t been that kind of “sprawl” into the township, Askeland noted that “the general ethos” among Township officials has changed in recent years.
“Literally, in the past, there’ve been zoning inspectors who have said ‘no’ to everything,” Askeland said, referring to such zoning matters like accessory dwelling units, short-term rentals and event permits.
“Now we think, ‘How can we make this work as long as it feels reasonable?’” Askeland said. “Farmers need a supplementary income so they can maintain their life on a farm, so we ask, ‘How can they maintain that so long as it’s not disruptive to the health and welfare of their surroundings?’ Our attitude is we want to work with people.”
All those present seemed in agreement about keeping growth at the forefront of all decision-making, and to encourage Village Planning and Zoning Administrator Nia Holt and Township Zoning Inspector Bryan Lucas to work more closely together.
How the three governmental bodies generate their dollars was another main topic at the joint meeting.
The school board members reminded those present about the ongoing statewide initiative to abolish property taxes in Ohio — a proposed measure that won’t appear on the November 2026 ballot, but possibly in 2027, and if passed, would gut the district of considerable funding.
“I think we can all agree we should fight for our public schools,” Myers said. “They are the cornerstone of our community.”
“It feels like the walls are closing in,” Bailey added.
Regardless of that possibility, Bailey said the district expects to place a levy on local ballots in 2029 to generate operating funds before Yellow Springs Schools is projected to dip below the state-required minimum cash balance.
For the Village, DeVore Leonard said no municipal levies are coming down the pike, at least until last year’s approved 8.4-mill levy expires in four years.
But more immediately, Miami Township will bring a permanent 0.8-mill levy before voters this November. Per past News reporting, the proposed levy is expected to generate more than $200,000 annually by taxing homeowners $28 per $100,000 of a home’s appraised value.
Askeland said the levy, if passed, will help cover the cost of a new fire truck.
“A few years ago, you could get a new firetruck for $250,000, but now, it’s about $1 million,” she said, attributing the higher cost to a combination of private equity racketeering, supply chain issues and rising oil prices.
Aside from a general consensus to keep each other abreast of any initiative that may ripple beyond their jurisdiction, no official decisions or resolutions were made by the meeting’s end.
The group also agreed to hold the joint meetings annually, likely in midsummer, for the foreseeable future.
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