Canal Fulton City Council agrees to put fire levy on ballot

Canal Fulton City Council

Tuesday meeting

KEY ACTION: Agreed to put a five-year, 1.6-mill fire levy tax request on the Nov. 5 ballot.

DISCUSSION: The levy, if approved by voters, would raise $240,000 each year and would cost homeowners $56 per $100,000 valuation but not raise property taxes.

Finance Director William Rouse said two existing levies, which voters had approved to cover debt payments and capital expenditures, will expire in 2024. The new levy would cost homeowners what they paid for those expiring levies. Funds generated from the new levy will be used for Fire Department operating expenses.

In other action, council authorized Fire Chief Shawn Yerian to apply for additional funding through Ohio’s Ambulance Transportation Impacted Industry Funding Opportunity for paramedics and emergency medical technicians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As with the Lawrence Township Fire Department, Yerian plans to use the funding, if it is approved, for retention bonuses for paramedics and EMTs working from April through September 2024 as well as for bonuses for new hires during that time period. The township does not have to provide matching funds.

UP NEXT: Meets at 6 p.m. June 4 at the Safety Center. Work sessions and meetings are livestreamed and recorded. Videos may be viewed on the city’s Facebook page.

Joan Porter

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canal Fulton City Council agrees to put fire levy on ballot