Madison fire levy back on ballot

Madison Twp. officials say emergency-services levy critical to future of department

MADISON TWP. — A 2-mill fire and emergency-services levy that failed last November on a narrow 26-vote margin will come before voters for a second time next week.

Madison Twp. residents will vote Tuesday, May 4, whether to provide the department with an additional $394,000 in funding per year, just six months after an identical levy failed.

The issue failed by 26 votes last November, out of 2,518 votes cast.

Fire Chief Kent Hall said the levy is designed to allow his department to hire more part-time emergency medical responders and have money available to replace equipment down the road.

“We currently have gear and equipment that’s outdated and unsafe, but we don’t have the funds to replace it right now,” Hall said.Hall said he and members of his department have been doing door-to-door through the township in recent weeks to drum up support. He thinks the levy will fare better this time.

If it fails again, Hall said next steps are up to the township trustees. The levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $61 annually, according to Madison Twp. Administrator Todd Farler. The 2-mill levy would be in addition to the township’s ongoing 1-mill levy, which voters passed in 1981. That 28-year-old levy brings in around $125,000 every year, which township officials say is not enough to fund the operation. If the new levy is passed, the total cost to the owner of a $100,000 home would be bumped to nearly $75 per year.

Fiscal Officer Amy Schenck said she understands how difficult it is for taxpayers to imagine another levy, but at the same time the township “has a responsibility to make sure its volunteers have the equipment they need to provide services to residents.”

“We are aware that it’s a particularly bad time to ask for a levy, but that does not change our needs,” Schenck said.

With the township’s general fund taking hits due to low property tax collections, Schenck said less money is available for the fire department.

The fire department is manned by a 40-person squad of volunteers, while the life squad consists of part-time paid employees from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and volunteers from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. and weekends. Volunteers receive a stipend of $10 per run before taxes, regardless of how long they are working.

“If you’re there for an hour on a random run, it’s $10,” Schenck said. “If you’re there battling a house fire for 24 hours, it’s still only $10.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or at rgauthier@coxohio.com.

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