Townships considering joining Paint Creek district

With the city of Hillsboro considering contracting with the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District, area townships that receive their emergency services from Hillsboro Fire and Rescue have found their options altered and may follow through with the same move as the city. 

Liberty, Jackson, New Market and Washington townships have been in talks with the city for months regarding the EMS and fire contracts with the city [see attached articles].

Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, legal counsel to the townships, told The Highland County Press that "obviously this changes the options for the townships. At least they can move forward knowing that a counter-offer from the city is not forthcoming."

Liberty Township Trustee Jerry Williams told The HCP on Tuesday night that he, along with other individual township trustees, met with Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District board member Bill Redenbaugh at their fire station in Greenfield. Neither the townships nor the board had a quorum, Williams said, and the meeting was for "fact finding" with the district. 

While the townships had considered forming their own fire district without the city of Hillsboro, Williams said that it looks like it will be more economical to join the Paint Creek district. 

"It looks like it's coming down to two things: either contracting or joining with Paint Creek," Williams said. "The problem with going out on our own (district) is the money issue. We'd have to have a lot larger levy."

Paint Creek's levy is 5.5 mills. A new township district could cost 7-8 mills, according to Williams.

Liberty Township's regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, June 25. Williams said that it is too soon to say if they will consider joining or contracting with Paint Creek during the meeting. 

The fire district's regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26.

Hillsboro City Council's next regularly scheduled meeting is July 9. 

"A contract versus joining the district is what we're looking at, unless somebody comes up with a better plan," Williams said. "We're still going to look at everything, but it seems like it's down to these two options, going with what Hillsboro is in the process of doing or joining the district." 

If a township joins the district, all their equipment and funds collected or held in reserve for their fire levy would go to the district, and they would have a representative placed on the district's board of trustees. If they contract, they retain ownership but would not have board representation. 

Williams said that he does not want to speak for the other townships, but he believes they will consider similar options as Liberty. 

"We're pretty much been together on all of it," Williams said. "The individual townships will make their own decision. Personally, I'll say I think that going out on our own district is off the table." 

In addition to considering Paint Creek, Jackson Township is also considering joining the Southern Highland Joint Fire District in Mowrystown, which is constructing a substation in the Sugar Tree Ridge area. 

"We're not in a mad rush to do it," Williams said. "But I am hopeful that we will have this resolved in a week or two, maybe sooner."