WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Amid the quiet streets of Washington Township sits the township's fire department, where Chief Jim Haas and two other full-time staff members work.
“We’ve cut everything that we can cut," Haas said.
Haas has had to make significant cuts to his department over the past few years, as the township's revenue dipped significantly due to the decline and eventual closure of the Zimmer plant.
“Each year as they devalued the plant, folks would retire; we didn’t replace them within EMS," Washington Township Trustee Dennis Cooper said.
Now, most of the fire department is made up of part-time and volunteer firefighters.
WATCH: Township officials explain why they think this levy is necessary for public safety
On Election Day, voters in Washington Township and the Village of Moscow and Neville will decide on a five-year safety service levy. The township reported that the cost for taxpayers will be approximately $193 per $100,000 of taxable value and would generate about $422,775 annually.
“We’re not trying to add on more; we’re trying to maintain what we got," Haas said.
The money would go toward maintaining current services, so more cuts would not have to be made. The funds would be used by the fire department, EMS and the contract with the Clermont County Sheriff's Office for a deputy.
“What plans are in place if voters say no?" I asked.
“If they say no, we probably will be a full part-time department," Haas said.
Levy funds would not just be used for staffing, but also for equipment maintenance, according to Haas.
“I don’t think there's any more cuts to be made; the only thing that can happen is the services won’t be as substantial as they are right now," Cooper said.
The township is hosting two informational meetings to allow residents to learn more about the proposed levy and ask questions of officials. The two meetings are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the EMS building located at 2239 State Route 756.
I spoke with Washington Township resident John Weber, who explained what questions he'll have when he attends one of the meetings.
"Just exactly what it's for, what the money can be used for. If it's strictly for the firefighters, whatnot. I don't want to fund other projects that hasn't been explained to me," Weber said.
The township's fire chief understood the struggle of asking his neighbors to pay more on their property tax bill.
"It is what it is. But that's what I want the public to understand; I'm only asking five years," Haas said.
