MADISON TOWNSHIP — A levy replacement could generate an additional $380,000 annually for the Madison Township Fire Department.
Those funds are needed for fire department operations, according to township fire department Chief Ken Justus. The continuous levy was last passed in 2000 and still collects revenues based on 1999 home values.
A replacement levy is on primary ballots for Madison Township residents during the May 6 primary election cycle.
“The costs associated with running a fire department have increased dramatically over the past 25 years,” Justus said. “We put this off as long as we could. The funds will help maintain our current services and try to grow with the community.”
If passed, the levy would cost homeowners about $193 annually on each $100,000 of assessed property value. That rate is currently $111 annually on the same valuation. Collection at the new rates wouldn’t start until 2026.
A tool on the Richland County Auditor’s website allows voters more clarity about what this property tax would cost if approved. To use the levy estimator tool, visit the auditor’s website at https://richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/auditor.
Click ‘property search,’ enter your address and click “levies” on the top right corner of the page.
Fire chief: Levy mostly funds payroll costs
“I’d like our residents to think about what can you buy for $81 that takes care of you for the entire year in 2025?” Justus said.
Justus said most of the funds collected through the levy are used for personnel and salaries. The levy funds can be used for payroll, fire equipment, buildings, maintenance, utilities and other operating expenses.
According to the Richland County Auditor’s Office, current levy collection translates to about 3.1 mills at today’s assessed values. The levy was approved originally at 5.5 mills.
“The fire department is still financially challenged,” township trustee Dan Fletcher said after trustees approved the 2025 budget. “We’re staging above water for now, but it won’t fare well if this levy doesn’t pass.”
Justus said the levy currently collects around $680,000 annually, which covers approximately 30 percent of the department’s current operating expenses. The replacement could cover up to half of annual costs if passed.
“Passing this levy helps better fund your fire department and provide the necessary funds to provide exceptional services that you have come to expect from the Madison Township Fire Department,” he said.
Records from the Richland County Board of Elections show the replacement levy failed by 320 votes in November 2024, with 53% of votes recorded cast against the levy.
“My goal is to get this passed and leave it alone,” Justus said. “We’ll be operating in the red if this doesn’t pass. We’ve already cut staffing and haven’t been able to raise part-time wages in two years because we don’t have the money.”
The fire department’s union contract requires a minimum of four full-time firefighters on each shift, and part-time employees help where needed.
Both Station 1 on Expressview Drive and Station 2 on Belmont Avenue have a minimum of two full-time firefighters on each shift.
The fire department currently has 15 full-time and 12 part-time firefighters. Other full-time employees include the chief, administrative assistant and three captains.
Mifflin levy renewal helps road, fire services
Mifflin Township voters will also have a familiar issue on their primary ballots — a 2.7 mill levy for the township’s general fund.
The levy, last passed in 2020, costs approximately $94.50 annually on $100,000 of assessed property value. The renewal would not create any new taxes.
Trustee Chair John Jaholnycky said this 5-year levy helps fund road and fire department expenses.
“From the general fund, we can appropriate it to different services,” Jaholnycky said. “Everything has gone up significantly — things have quadrupled in price in not that long of a time, making it that much more difficult to do even small paving projects and things like that.
“It’s the same thing for salaries, we’ve lost a lot of fire and EMS people to Ashland and Wooster, so we’re trying to keep up with that as best we can.”
The five-year levy would begin collection in 2026 and go through 2030.
Jaholnycky said the levy currently brings in between $250,000 and $300,000 annually.
A tool on the Richland County Auditor’s website allows voters more clarity about what this property tax would cost if approved. To use the levy estimator tool, visit the auditor’s website at https://richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/auditor. Click ‘property search,’ enter your address and click “levies” on the top right corner of the page.