SYLVANIA, Ohio — The Sylvania Township Fire Department is urging voters to pass a new fire levy in an effort to keep the township and city safe.
Issue 13 will be on the Nov. 3 ballot and will address a 35.7% increase in service calls in the past five years, according to the department.
"This levy is most important now due to the increase in population and due to the increase of our run volume. We need more firefighters and fire trucks," said Ryan Sedlock, President of Sylvania Firefighters IAFF Local 2243. "We have a decrease in private ambulance services that we relied on for a lot of years here and we're taking the brunt of that."
Homeowner Costs by Taxable Value
The 1.9 mill continuing levy will cost the owner of a $150,000 home $99.75 per year or $8.31 per month.
For the owner of a $200,000 home, the levy would cost $133.00 per year or $11.08 per month.
The Levy Would Support:
- The addition of six new firefighter/paramedics
- A second medical transport unit
- Creation of a full-time inspection department
- Allow for capital repairs to extend the life of the department's taxpayer-owned buildings and fleet
"COVID has been a terrible time for everybody. There are still people out without jobs. To come for a levy right now; the initial levy [2.4 mills] was actually higher than what we have. We moved it down to bring it to the ballot. We really need the staffing to keep Sylvania safe," Sedlock said.
In July, Sylvania Township trustees voted to place the 1.9 mill levy on the ballot.
Voters last approved a 1.5 mill levy in 2014. In that year, the department had 56 firefighter/paramedics who responded to 4,706 calls for aid. Last year the department had 60 firefighter/paramedics who responded to 6,380 such calls.
The department extended the 2014 levy for seven years which was one year longer than they promised.
The 2020 levy is expected to fund four to six years and the next request may take place in 2024 or 2026.
The department will hold a virtual town hall and information meeting every Wednesday at 6 p.m. until Nov. 3.