Police and fire departments in the Akron-Canton area hope voters will brave the Ides of March and approve eight levy issues appearing on ballots in five counties.
Voters in the March 15 election will decide police and fire issues in Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina and Wayne counties.
Brimfield police
Brimfield Township police hope to pass Portage County’s Issue 4, a 2.9-mill levy to replace one voters approved in 1987. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $60.65 more per year or $5.05 per month. Township homeowners pay $41.40 per year for the current levy.
Police Chief Ray Mosley said the levy is imperative because the township has more than doubled in population — from 5,000 to 11,000 — since 1987.
The population spike might lead to some confusion on the ballot. The new levy’s wording describes it as a “replacement and decrease,” but it would cost homeowners more because the township’s population has changed so drastically.
The 1987 levy collects $313,775 per year; if passed, the replacement levy would collect $665,422.
If the levy doesn’t pass, the chief said it’s likely the department will have to downsize by “more than one” staff member.
“I’d hate to scream the sky is falling and to cry wolf,” Mosley said, “but there would definitely be some changes here if the levy doesn’t pass.”
For more information on the Brimfield levy, visit www.bpdmovingforward.com.
Brunswick Hills police
Brunswick Hills Township police are appealing to the voters a second time with the hope that they’ll approve Medina County’s Issue 4.
Township voters denied a similar levy issue in November. This time around, the police department is asking for less money.
If passed, the 2.5-mill additional levy would collect $624,900 annually for five years. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $87.50 per year, or $7.29 each month.
Voters threw out a 3.25-mill levy in November. That levy would have cost homeowners about $114 per year for a $100,000 home. It also would have lasted indefinitely.
Police Chief Tim Sopkovich said the new levy would allow the department to operate as is.
“If the voters don’t like it in five years,” Sopkovich said, “they can change it.”
Like Brimfield Township, the population of Brunswick Hills Township has increased steadily over recent years.
Brady Lake fire, EMS
The village of Brady Lake hopes voters will approve Portage County’s Issue 2, which would collect about $95 from residents per year, or about $7.90 per month.
Village Mayor Hal Lehman said the money is needed to supplement payments to the city of Kent, which provides paramedic services to the village. Kent has provided services since 2014, when the village dissolved its fire department.
“We had more EMS calls last year than we did in the past three years,” Lehman said. “If the voters don’t pass this, I don’t know what we’re going to do for EMS.”
He said the village paid Kent $53,000 last year for paramedic services, and the money was taken from the general fund.
“It’s hitting us so hard,” he said. “It hurts when that money is taken from the general fund because we’re trying to fix roads and things like that too.”
Wayne County fire
The Wayne County Town and Country Fire District hopes to build a new fire station. For that to happen, it needs voters in two counties to approve additional money.
The fire district provides support to Wayne County’s Congress Township, Congress village and West Salem village and Medina County’s Homer Township. The owner of a $100,000 home in those jurisdictions pays $26.47 per year for services.
If approved, the new levy would replace and increase the millage on the current levy from 1 to 2.3 mills. The same homeowner would pay $80.50 per year instead, an increase of about $54.
Fire Chief Lois Welch said the district operates out of two fire stations across the street from one another. The stations were built in 1971 and 1981.
Welch said she hopes to build a new, bigger and more modern station.
“We’ve really outgrown them,” she said. “This station has worked for many years, but it’s time to expand.”
The current levy collects about $95,000 a year. If passed, it would generate $256,500.
Springfield fire, EMS
Summit County’s Issue 13 would renew a 2010 levy and increase its millage for the Springfield Township Fire Department.
Fire Chief Vic Wincik said the department wasn’t immune to the economic downturn of recent years.
“As with everybody, we’ve gone through some financial constraints,” he said. “While we were trying to be fiscally responsible and maintain a certain level of service, we eliminated things.”
The department avoided making upgrades and repairs to its equipment and station, and part-time employees who left for other jobs did not have their positions filled.
Springfield is asking voters to renew a 2-mill levy and increase its millage by 1 mill.
Right now, the owner of a $100,000 home pays about $61.25 per year, or $5.10 per month. If the increase is approved, the same homeowner would pay $96.25, or $8.02 per month.
The current levy generates $503,343 per year. If increased, it would collect $760,889 instead.
Paris fire, EMS
Paris Township hopes its residents will approve a 2-mill levy to allow it to hire paid paramedics.
Trustee Tom Smith said the township’s six volunteer paramedics all have full-time jobs, so sometimes it takes upwards of 20 or 30 minutes for anyone to respond to emergency calls.
“I keep a radio monitor here in my kitchen,” Smith said, “and it just bugs the hell out of me to hear a call for service go out and no one responding.”
He said he appreciates the work the volunteers do, but the township needs paid paramedics so response times can be reduced.
“Minutes count in these kinds of situations,” he said.
Portage County’s Issue 6 would provide $65,000 to the township, costing the owner of a $100,000 home about $70 a year or $5.83 a month.
Chippewa fire, EMS
Chippewa Township Fire Department in Wayne County is asking voters to approve a continuous 1-mill levy to boost its service.
The levy would collect $207,500, costing the owner of a $100,000 home about $35 per year.
Fire Chief Ron Browning said it’s been 13 years since the last levy was passed.
“We’ve been trying our darnedest to stretch the dollar as much as we could, but we’re at the point now that we’ve stretched it as far as we can,” he said.
Browning said the number of calls the fire department gets has also increased. In 2003, it responded to about 650 calls; in 2015, it handled almost 1,100.
Lexington police
If approved, Stark County’s Issue 7 would better compensate the Stark County Sheriff’s Office for police services in Lexington Township.
The levy would raise $88,093 per year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $35 per year for five years.
Trustee Daniel Moore said it’s been 21 years since the township asked for a levy to compensate sheriff’s deputies.
“We’re not trying to gouge anybody,” he said. “We’re just trying to get some good coverage and get a bang for our buck.”
Norton fire
Norton Fire Department in Wayne County is asking voters to renew a levy to maintain fire and paramedic services.
The 4.6-mill levy is for five years.
First passed in 2012, the levy generates about $1.13 million annually for the fire department and funds daily operations. It costs the owner of a $100,000 home $140.88 a year, or $11.74 per month.
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ.