By Amanda Ensinger
Staff Writer
The Franklin Township Fire Department is celebrating after having a five-year timed levy approved by township residents.
According to the Franklin County Board of Election, 1,601 residents voted in favor of the levy, while 1,145 residents voted against it.
“I want to personally thank the residents of Franklin Township for supporting this levy,” said Chase Adams, fire chief for the Franklin Township Fire Department. “This levy will allow us to keep a fire station open, keep all our firemen and continue to serve them in the same fashion we always have.”
The 5.89-mil levy will generate $850,000 a year for the fire department. If the levy would have failed, the Franklin Township trustees already approved a resolution to close Station 193 on Frank Road by November 2017.
“This levy really was due or die for the fire department,” Adams said. “If it would have failed we would have been laying off at least 12 firefighters, closing a fire house and dramatically reducing the service we currently offer township residents. I’m so thankful residents understood the significance of these cuts and supported keeping the service as is.”
This was the fourth levy the fire department had asked township voters for since 2013. All other levies the fire department asked were rejected by voters. However, this was the first timed levy the department asked voters for, all other levies were permanent.
“I think the voters have clearly said they support timed levies as opposed to permanent levies,” Adams said. “We heard this from voters after the last levy campaign and listened to what the people wanted.”
The new timed levy will last until 2021 and will cost taxpayers $120 per $100,000 home.
According to Adams, the fire department will still continue to be very fiscally conservative and look for other avenues to generate revenue that don’t cost taxpayers additional money.
“We still need to continue to stretch these tax dollars as far as possible,” Adams said. “We will still continue to apply for grants and be as conservative as possible to make these funds last.”
