Brimfield may have spent thousands in unnecessary property tax payments

Brimfield’s newest trustee has a sharp eye for dollar signs. During the township’s Feb. 2 trustee meeting, Kevin Scott mentioned that the township is needlessly paying tens of thousands of dollars in annual property taxes.

Shortly before he took office in January, Scott said he examined a township budget and saw an entry directing almost $40,000 to the county auditor’s office. Knowing that government entities are largely exempt from paying property taxes, “I put two and two together and I came up with an unnecessary expense,” he said.

Then, as a newly fledged trustee, Scott asked Brimfield Fiscal Officer Jasmine Golden to check with the Portage County Auditor’s Office. Her research confirmed Scott’s suspicions: The township owns 30 properties, but 17 are not receiving tax exemptions for which they may be eligible.

The exemptions aren’t automatic.The person in charge of any local government’s finances — in this case, Brimfield’s fiscal officer — has to file a property tax exemption application with the county.

Former Fiscal Officer John Dalziel handled Brimfield’s finances from 2006 until he resigned Aug. 1, 2025. Fifteen of the properties eligible for property tax exemptions were acquired while he held that office.

Of the 13 that are already categorized as tax exempt, only one of them was acquired during his tenure, and it is listed as having been exempted as far back as electronic records go at the auditor’s office: 1994. Brimfield acquired the rest of the properties from 1990 through 1998.

Dalziel did not return The Portager’s multiple requests for comment.

Matt Adelman, the county auditor’s office real estate appraisal supervisor, said the state may reimburse Brimfield for taxes, penalties and interest, but “anything earlier than tax year 2020, they might be out of luck.”

The state may or may not return a 10% penalty the township incurred when it failed to pay its second-half 2024 tax bill on time, he added.

Golden calculated potential savings of almost $28,000 per year. Should the state reimburse Brimfield for payments made since 2020, the township could find itself holding a check for $100,000 to $130,000, she said.

Golden’s next step is to file exemption applications with the Portage County Auditor’s Office, which will forward them to the Ohio Department of Taxation. That office will grant, deny or partially grant each request, typically taking five to seven months to issue its ruling, Adelman said.

Luck plays a part: Adelman said he’s seen determinations come through in as little as two months or take longer than a year.

“Sooner would be better, but at least we’re not still continuously spending unnecessary taxes,” Scott said. “It’s a substantial savings, and it continues for the rest of the life of the township.”

Though dismayed that the township was bleeding property tax money for 20 years, Scott said correcting the error now will help Brimfield get back on its feet. The township’s general fund and police and fire budget balances remain low, thanks in part to Brimfield’s late December 2025 reimbursement of the Brimfield-Tallmadge Joint Economic Development District for erroneous debits made in 2024.

“It's certainly not going to correct everything, but it sure is going to help. It would put the general fund back in a good position,” Scott said.

Another possibility is to replenish funds the police and fire funds lost when Brimfield had to reimburse the JEDD. Since both emergency departments have vehicles on order, Scott said he and his fellow trustees will certainly have that conversation.

More good news: Since the township is filing for exemptions, the county auditor’s office is not requiring it to pay its first-half 2026 property taxes, Golden said.

Other savings Scott has identified include:

• The township website’s annual fee, which host CivicPlus proposed to raise from $11,958 to $12,741. Township IT Director Joseph Jamison started working the phones, and has so far gotten the company to agree to an annual contract cost of $9,177.

The trustees, though, want a price ceiling of $5,000. If CivicPlus won’t agree to that limit, Jamison said he’s got another host who will. But should Brimfield have to switch, the township will still have to reach a temporary agreement with CivicPlus until the transition is completed.

Not having a website is not an option, he said.

Total potential annual savings? $7,741.

• Brimfield’s annual cemetery mowing contract. ABC Landscaping’s 2024-2025 contract for mowing Restland Cemetery had the township paying $37,000 a year, but the company raised its rates to $48,000 for 2026 and 2027.

Spurred by Scott’s concerns, the township started collecting quotes and landed on Suncrest Gardens. That company will provide the same service for $31,125. Total annual savings: $16,875.

• The township’s trash hauler. Unhappy with Kimble’s $750 price tag for picking up trash at township-owned properties every month, Scott called the company, renegotiated and scored a price reduction of $180 a month.Total annual savings: $2,160, which translates to savings of $6,480 for the three-year contract.
  
  
• The township’s propane bill. Seeing a check to AmeriGas Propane, Scott determined that the township is paying $5.79 per gallon for propane. He did a bit of digging, and learned that as of Feb. 17, the open market price was $2.29 a gallon.

“We’ll be switching,” Scott predicted. “We’ll be doing our homework and getting that straightened out this spring or summer.”

All told, Scott estimated the township stands to save about $60,000 a year.

Golden confirmed all of Scott’s calculations and conclusions. Longtime Brimfield Trustees Nic Coia and Sue Fields did not return The Portager’s repeated requests for comment.