10/22/2022
Media Release from Licking Township Emergency Squad & Fire Department
Licking Township Emergency Squad & Fire Department is asking for your support on November 8, 2022 to pass a 3 mill additional levy.
Why does the department need additional money?
Our current yearly operating budget is $270,000.00. In 2015, upon returning to the department, it was evident that the number of volunteers was on the decline and the number of times mutual aid was utilized was increasing. After saving money for 3.5 years, the governing body of the department decided to employ 2 part-time employees during the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week. This strategy worked for those hours, however after 7 p.m. we were missing calls. In April 2020 the decision to staff the station 24 hours a day, 7 days a week was made. This has proven to be the best course of action for the protection of township citizens.
Incident responses are on the rise. 2019: 202 incidents, 2020: 228 incidents, and 2021: 271 incidents. The department is on pace to respond to 300 incidents in 2022. This will set a new record for the fourth year in a row.
Wages for 2021 were $235,000.00 with a pay range of $11.50 to $15.00 per hour. Wages for 2022 were increased to a range of $13.25 to $15.625 per hour in order to retain employees in an ever growing competitive environment within Muskingum County. A majority of Fire Departments in the County have transgressed from all volunteers to combination departments with part time and full time employees with benefits. This levy is instrumental to keep certified, well trained, and motivated employees.
Obviously, the department can not operate on $35,000.00 per year after wages are paid. Everything we do in Fire and EMS is expensive. The levy will generate an additional $213,298.00 per year or the next 5 years and per the Muskingum County Auditors office will net $200,500.12 at a 94% collection rate.
Tax levies are calculated on assessed values as opposed to appraised values. To find the amount this will cost a resident, please visit the Muskingum County Auditor website, navigate to your property, and the cost of the 3 mill levy is listed in a new banner mid page.
Renewal levies do not generate new money. A levy passed, for instance, in 2007 is based on property assessments in 2007, not 2022. With that being said, the Auditor’s Office is currently in the process of re-evaluating property values now. This process will be on going until June of 2023, sent to committee in Columbus for approval after June of 2023 and go into effect in 2024. We realize in the current economic climate, it is the worst time to be asking residents for additional money. However, asking for additional funds in 2022 will be less expensive than it will be in 2024. If this levy passes the governing body of the department does not foresee asking for additional funds in the future. Renewal levies however, will always be on the ballot every 5 years, but as previously stated, do not cost you the tax payer any new money.
I feel the department has always been a good steward of the money received from taxpayers and will continue to do so in the future. Without this new levy the department will not be able to provide 24 hour protection to the citizens of the township. If the department can not continue to advance and grow, it will not exist. The downside to this will be increased homeowners insurance and longer response times to emergency incidents.
I have lived in Licking Township my entire life and care deeply about making it a safe place to live. Personally, this increase will cost me and my family .77 cents per day in additional taxes. The remaining volunteers and employees of the department strive to provide the best possible protection to the township we can, we need this additional help from you.
In my opinion, local government is the only government in which we have a true say. This levy is an investment in our community.
Thank you for reading, thank you for your support, and please repost.
Don Goodyear, Fire Chief
Licking Township Emergency Squad and Fire Department
