GALENA — The Genoa Township Fire Department is seeking a levy on the November ballot. Typically, it comes up every five years but is a year early in 2024.

The ballot language reads:

“A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage. An additional tax for the benefit of Genoa Township for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefor, or sources of water supply and materials therefor, for the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications, for the payment of firefighting companies or permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighting, emergency medical service, administrative, or communications personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required for such personnel under section 145.48 or 742.34 of the Revised Code, for the purchase of ambulance equipment, for the provision of ambulance, paramedic, or other emergency medical services operated by a fire department or firefighting company, or for the payment of other related costs that the county auditor estimates will collect $11,499,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 7 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $245 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2024, first due in calendar year 2025.”

Fire Chief Joseph Ponzi has been visiting Homeowners Associations to answer questions about the levy, and he has written a letter to residents, which appears in the latest township newsletter (October-December).

“The last request for an increase in levy funding was in 2015, and in 2020 a reduction was approved before the world came to know about the pandemic, subsequent inflation, and the demands it would impose on fire and emergency medical services,” Ponzi writes. “Since then, costs for specialized vehicles and equipment have soared, leaving a shortfall in the forecasted budget for 2025. To illustrate how costs have risen, an ambulance purchased in 2021 for $271,000 would cost $381,000 to replace today. The newest fire engine purchased in 2020 for $617,000 would now cost $1,200,000.

“Demand for services increased as we supported our community through difficult times,” Ponzi continued. “Calls to 9‐1‐1 for fire and EMS assistance increased 20% whereas the population grew by just 2%. Our average response time across 21.5 square miles of service area was 5 minutes 23 seconds in 2023, but I am particularly proud that our cardiac arrest survival rate is 41%, compared to the national average of 3%.

“To maintain this level of service, voters will be asked to decide whether to fund a continuous Fire/EMS Levy at a rate of 7.0 mills,” he concluded. “This levy represents 97% of our funding. Should this new levy pass, the current 5.3 mill Fire/EMS Levy would be rescinded (not collected) by the Board of Trustees in 2025 to avoid duplication of taxes. The new levy would be continuous, meaning the cyclical 5‐year approval process would no longer be necessary, providing a stable, baseline funding source to ensure there is never a lapse in emergency services.”

For more information, visit Genoa Township (genoatwp.com).

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He can be reached at 740-413-0906.