Liberty Township voters to consider 1.8 mill fire levy
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
Voters in Liberty Township will decide during the March 6 primary election if they want to support a 1.8-mill fire protection levy, which will go toward providing fire and EMS to township residents.
The Liberty Township Board of Trustees placed the issue on the ballot after a levy failed in the November 2011 general election.
According to township fiscal officer Jolene Walker, they are not currently receiving fire protection funds despite seeing a recent increase in the cost of the services.
Townships are currently negotiating with the city of Hillsboro on the cost of the services with Hillsboro Fire and Rescue. The city has proposed a one-year contract at $27 per township resident.
Walker said that if that contract passes, Liberty Township will pay 61 percent more for the services than it did in 2011.
The city has been negotiating with Hamer, Jackson, Liberty, New Market, Paint and Washington townships on a continuation of their contract for fire and EMS to be provided by Hillsboro Fire and Rescue. A point of contention has been how much the townships will pay per person for the services. In previous contracts, the townships did not pay for EMS, and it was included with the fire services.
When negotiations on the issue initially began in 2010, the Ohio Revised Code prohibited money collected from fire protection levies to go toward paying for EMS. Walker said that a section House Bill 153, the biennium budget passed in 2011, set forth conditions that allow the funds to now be applied toward EMS.
Walker said that according to figures from the Highland County Auditor's Office, estimates project that the levy "should generate about $115,000 per year, which is approximately $56.70 per year on a $100,000 appraised property."
Walker noted that the levy is for Liberty Township residents only, and not for residents of the city of Hillsboro.
In addition to receiving no fire protection funds this year Walker said that, like all local government entities, the township is dealing with a 50-percent decrease in local government funds from the state.
The township has carryover funds in its budget, Walker said, which will cover the costs of fire protection for 2012. "But we can't sustain that forever," Walker said.
The cost of 2012 fire protection, if the townships and city agree to the proposed contract, is just shy of $99,000. They paid $61,088 in 2011, Walker said.
"We really need the people who are receiving the services to support it," Walker said. "We try to be as frugal as possible."
Voters in Liberty Township will decide during the March 6 primary election if they want to support a 1.8-mill fire protection levy, which will go toward providing fire and EMS to township residents.
The Liberty Township Board of Trustees placed the issue on the ballot after a levy failed in the November 2011 general election.
According to township fiscal officer Jolene Walker, they are not currently receiving fire protection funds despite seeing a recent increase in the cost of the services.
Townships are currently negotiating with the city of Hillsboro on the cost of the services with Hillsboro Fire and Rescue. The city has proposed a one-year contract at $27 per township resident.
Walker said that if that contract passes, Liberty Township will pay 61 percent more for the services than it did in 2011.
The city has been negotiating with Hamer, Jackson, Liberty, New Market, Paint and Washington townships on a continuation of their contract for fire and EMS to be provided by Hillsboro Fire and Rescue. A point of contention has been how much the townships will pay per person for the services. In previous contracts, the townships did not pay for EMS, and it was included with the fire services.
When negotiations on the issue initially began in 2010, the Ohio Revised Code prohibited money collected from fire protection levies to go toward paying for EMS. Walker said that a section House Bill 153, the biennium budget passed in 2011, set forth conditions that allow the funds to now be applied toward EMS.
[[In-content Ad]]Walker said that according to figures from the Highland County Auditor's Office, estimates project that the levy "should generate about $115,000 per year, which is approximately $56.70 per year on a $100,000 appraised property." Walker noted that the levy is for Liberty Township residents only, and not for residents of the city of Hillsboro.
In addition to receiving no fire protection funds this year Walker said that, like all local government entities, the township is dealing with a 50-percent decrease in local government funds from the state.
Walker said that according to figures reported to the township, in 2010 there were 88 fire runs in Liberty Township, with 59 runs in 2011. EMS runs were 252 for 2010 and 270 for 2011.
The township has carryover funds in its budget, Walker said, which will cover the costs of fire protection for 2012. "But we can't sustain that forever," Walker said.
The cost of 2012 fire protection, if the townships and city agree to the proposed contract, is just shy of $99,000. They paid $61,088 in 2011, Walker said.
"We really need the people who are receiving the services to support it," Walker said. "We try to be as frugal as possible."