Voters asked to approve measure to support Richland Township fire and rescue
By Kelley Mohr
October 12, 2011
308
Summary: A tax levy renewal to fund the volunteer fire and rescue squad will be on the Nov. 8 ballot for Richland Township.
Story:
In the upcoming Nov. 8 election, Richland Township officials are requesting voter support for the fire and ambulance services in the community.
The renewal would provide fire protection and emergency or medical services to residents, as well as allow for the purchase of ambulance equipment. The levy would renew the current rate of 2.5 mills for a five-year period, a rate that has not increased for more than two decades.
This levy would directly support the Richland Township Glenmont Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer Emergency Medical Services Department (EMS), said Richland Township Fiscal Officer C. Jim Patterson.
This levy pays for basically all of our equipment, our training, our turnout gear, truck maintenance and more, he said. The levy is right around $27,000, which, if youve looked at bigger budgets, thats not a whole lot of money.
This allotment is what most departments spend in utilities each month, noted Patterson. Were a little department and we make due, but its still tough.
This entirely volunteer department, which includes 25 firefighters and 15 EMS, operates on a very small budget that is funded almost completely by the levy and supplemented by fundraisers and grants. The tax levy renewal has not increased since the 1980s, Patterson explained.
[The levy] has never been replaced, its always been renewed, so basically its bringing in the same money it did back then, which is tough when the cost of living has gone up, he said. The township makes due with what they have, however, because they do not want to raise taxes on the community. We manage our money well, our chief is an excellent grant writer and a penny pincher.
Richland Township Fire Chief McCartney-Wells notes that the department spends the much-needed money very carefully and conscientiously. I think for us to be able to operate on an average 25-year-old budget I think were doing great, said McCartney-Wells. The department uses their small funds very wisely in order to offer the best fire and rescue service to the community. Due to smart budgeting, a standard EMS run is only $800 and a standard fire run is $0.
Our levies have not increased, so were working on an annual budget was approved 20-30 years ago, so were making due but its getting tougher and tougher every year, said McCartney-Wells. With the small budget, the levy is the only way we can keep our head afloat.
This levy offers the fire department a fund of $18,000, said McCartney-Wells, noting that this doesnt go very far when it comes to its operating costs. Look at it this way; if you had one person in your household making $18,000, how far would that go with electric and phone and a roster of 20 to 25 people? Then add the maintenance of four trucks on top of that, she said.
The department recently purchased a fire truck that cost $270,000, a LifePak amounting to $28,000 and four sets of coats and trousers for $8,400, a figure that doesnt include the gloves, helmets and suspenders that make up full firefighter gear. These costly pieces of essential equipment only represent a fraction of departmental expenses, for in addition to new equipment the department has to pay for truck maintenance, training and insurance costs.
If the levy failed, the effect to the department would be catastrophic, said Patterson. Wed be scrambling to try to operate. Thered be no new equipment, no training, no maintenance. Basically wed work until the fire levy money ran out then if a truck broke it wouldnt be able to be fixed, he said. Residents might still have fire and rescue, but itd be very limited.
Without the levy, the departments would eventually run out of money, Patterson explained, and the townships fire and rescue services would have to be picked up by Killbuck, Millersburg or Nashville, resulting in poorer local service and raised taxes.
The officials at Richland Township urge voters to pass the levy, because without it, their fire and rescue services would be greatly reduced. Renewal would ensure continued fire and EMS protection in the case of emergencies.
If you want fire protection and EMS in the community, this levy is essential, emphasized Patterson.
