Belmont County Commissioners Advance 911 & Senior Services Levies | Tourism Hits $275 Million

Belmont County Commissioners Advance 911, Senior Services Levies as Tourism Hits $275 MillionIn this episode of Forgotten Ohio, we break down the biggest decisions from this week's Belmont County Commissioners meeting, including the first steps toward renewing two county levies that voters could decide this November.Commissioners approved resolutions to place renewal levies for Belmont County 911 and Senior Services on the November ballot. The 911 levy would continue funding the county's emergency radio system and support the transition to Next Generation 911, while the Senior Services levy would renew funding at a reduced rate, lowering the tax burden while maintaining essential programs.I also examine a new tourism report showing Belmont County generated $275.6 million in tourism-related economic impact during 2025, including $168 million in visitor spending and $36 million in tax revenue.Also in this episode:Why county officials say the 911 levy is not a tax increaseHow Senior Services delivers 1,200 meals every day to local residentsThe latest update on the Underground Railroad Museum in Morristown, expected to open this fallPlans to add Airbnb units to support the museum's long-term operationsA sewer infrastructure project that will replace the aging Pennwood treatment plantFeatured InterviewsJerry Echemann, Belmont County Commission PresidentJ.P. Dutton, Belmont County CommissionerVince Gianangeli, Belmont County CommissionerBrian Minder, Belmont County 911 DirectorLisa Kazmirski, Executive Director, Senior Services of Belmont CountyJackee Pugh, Executive Director, Belmont County Tourism CouncilKelly Porter, Belmont County Water & Sewer District DirectorKey TopicsBelmont County CommissionersBelmont County 911 LevySenior Services LevyNext Generation 911Belmont County TourismEconomic DevelopmentUnderground Railroad MuseumMorristown, OhioSt. ClairsvilleLocal GovernmentOhio Valley News📰 Read the full story and more local reporting: https://forgottenohio.com📬 Subscribe to the Forgotten Ohio newsletter for independent, hyperlocal journalism covering Ohio Appalachia and the Ohio Valley.https://forgottenohio.substack.com/⭐ If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, leave a review, and share the episode with others who care about local news.Forgotten Ohio Real reporting. Real people. Real Ohio. Covering local news from the Ohio Valley & Ohio Appalachia