Beaver and Springfield townships’ police and fire levies on ballot

Staff report

NORTH LIMA

Both Beaver and Springfield townships have police and fire department levy renewals on the ballot this fall.

Beaver Township says it needs to pass a 1-mill fire protection levy and a 3.6-mill police levy.

Springfield Township seeks to pass a 1-mill fire protection levy and a 1-mill police levy.

If all levies pass in both townships, they will last for five years.

Richard Lotze, Beaver Township fiscal officer, said each of its levies will help the police and fire departments run operations and buy equipment. He said the fire levy in Beaver Township represents about $86,000 and the police levy represents about $537,960.

“They’re both significant to the township,” Lotze said. “General funds have shrunk over the years. Because of that, the police and fire departments really have to rely on their own funding for projects.”

Beaver Township Police Chief Carl Frost said the police department levy has been voted on since it was replaced in 2000. He said the last time it was voted on was in 2009.

Frost said the money generated from the levy’s renewal accounts for 34.7 percent of the police department’s budget. He said it helps keep the police department staffed.

“The renewal’s important since it’s a big percentage of our budget,” Frost said. “Losing the vote would mean losing a lot of officers.”

Patti Gibson, Springfield Township’s fiscal officer, said both levy renewals would generate $117,883 for the police and fire departments for the five years they’re in place.

Springfield Township Police Chief Matthew Mohn said the renewal levy helps fund the township’s police salaries, vehicles and communications. He said all money in the police department comes from the renewal levy or the township’s general fund.

Both Gibson and Lotze said they don’t think either their police or fire department levies have ever failed. Gibson said if either levy renewal fails, the police or fire department would have to reconsider its budget plans for the next few years.

“In the past, our residents have been strong supporters of our safety forces,” Gibson said. “We’re really hoping that continues with these levies.”