KVFD shares details on levy – Department also provides update on new station
PHOTO FROM KIDRONFIRE.COM
The proposed new Kidron Volunteer Fire Department station has been updated slightly since this photo was shared with residents at a town hall meeting in September. Residents are welcome to make donations through the website or by mailing checks to the station. If passed, the two-year 1.5-mill levy on the ballot this fall will go toward operating expenses for the department and will not go toward the new building.
KIDRON Residents who are served by Kidron Volunteer Fire Department will see on their ballots this fall an opportunity to consider a levy to benefit fire and emergency medical services.
Gary Falb, president of the KVFD board, reviewed on Thursday at a community meeting at Kidron Community Park the information voters need to know when they head to the polls on Nov. 3, or when they vote early.
About 20 people attended the meeting.
Here are some of the points Falb presented about the levy for the Southern Sugar Creek Township Fire District:
* Ballot language: Voters served by Kidron Volunteer Fire Department will see on their ballots “Southern Sugar Creek Township Fire District.” This labeling was required by the auditor’s office and voted on by the township trustees. This does not mean KVFD is forming a fire district. “Kidron Fire will remain Kidron Fire,” Falb said.
Residents who live in the unincorporated part of the northern section of Sugar Creek Township will see on the ballots a different fire and EMS levy with ballot language: “Northern Sugar Creek Township Fire District,” which will benefit East Wayne Fire District.
* Coverage area: Residents who are served by KVFD will continue to be served by KVFD. The railroad tracks basically divide the northern and southern fire districts of the township. A small portion of the southern district is served by Orrville Fire Department, which also will benefit from the levy. EWFD responds to the northern portion of the township and will continue to serve that area.
“Coverage area will not change at all,” Falb said.
* Levy cost: The two-year levy is a 1.5-mill levy, which means homeowners would pay 15 cents per $100 of their tax valuation of their home. The levy will be collected in 2021 and 2022. A person with a $100,000 tax valuation of their property would pay $150 annually to support the levy. Falb said KVFD will continue to operate and respond like the department always has.
“The return you will get on that, Kidron Fire will be able to continue to respond and operate the way that we have for nearly 70 years,” he said. “What this does is this levy will just cover our operating expenses. There is no money in this levy for capital expenses or even the new station that’s coming.”
* Levy history: In Nov. 2017, Sugar Creek Township voters passed a three-year levy to allow the trustees to contract with Kidron Fire and EWFD to cover for fire and EMS response. This levy will expire at the end of 2020. The township does not have money to contract for fire and EMS services, Falb said.
NEW BUILDING UPDATE
Ron Wenger, representing the building committee, and Ian Wengerd, representing the finance committee, also offered a presentation in the second part of the meeting Thursday updating those in attendance about the new fire station building.
