Voters approve EMS levy
Chief and safety director thankful for community support
Voters visited polling places around the city to cast their vote on the levy. Photo by EMILY CANNING-DEAN
WADSWORTH – An overwhelming majority of voters came out in favor of a proposed EMS levy on the May 2 ballot.
According to final but unofficial results from the Medina County Board of Elections, Issue 2 passed 918 votes (83.61 percent) to 180 votes (16.39 percent).
“I am very appreciative of the community’s support. We can’t thank them enough,” Safety Director Matt Hiscock said. “We will continue to be good with tax payer dollars and do the right thing on behalf of the community.”
“I am very thankful to the voters for passing this levy so we can continue to provide this high level of emergency medical care,” Fire Chief Carl Rommel said.
Rommel said Wadsworth offers the highest level of emergency medical care, with 22 paramedics on staff.
“The current levy has been in place for 10 years and costs have gone up,” Rommel said. “This will help us to keep up with the rising costs.”
Rommel added that the department could have been required to make some difficult decisions if the levy didn’t pass.
“We would hate to make cuts to staffing or levels of service, but we would have had to rethink some things,” he said.
Hiscock added that the passage of the levy will also help to expand some services as demand in the area increases.
Wadsworth EMS serves both the city and Wadsworth Township which includes a population of more than 27,000 over a 26.2 square mile jurisdiction. In 2016, EMS responded to 2,067 calls for service. Since the levy was renewed in 2012, Wadsworth EMS has responded to 9,825 calls for service.
The levy is a renewal of the current 2.3-mill levy, which expires at the end of this year plus a 0.2 mill increase.
The new levy will cost the owner of a property with an appraised value of $100,000 approximately $71.23 annually. Currently property owners with an appraised value of $100,000 pay $64.23 toward the levy annually so the passage of the levy means an increase of $7 a year.
According to Hiscock, passage of the levy will preserve the provision of modern core EMS services including Advanced Life Support by paramedics and Advanced Medical Technicians and Basic Life Support by EMTs. He has said the EMS levy is the primary source of funding for the operational and capital needs of the EMS department, amounting to between 52 and 55 percent of total operating revenues. The EMS does not receive any other tax dollar support.
Funds from the levy are used for a variety of equipment and services including heart monitors and defibrillators, CPR machines, power cots, stair chairs, oxygen, IV’s, splints, bandages and dressings as well as initial and continuing emergency medical training and certifications, EMS personnel costs, emergency radios and electronic EMS reporting systems, vehicle maintenance and fuel, ambulance replacements, capital building projects and public education.
According to final but unofficial results from the Medina County Board of Elections, Issue 2 passed 918 votes (83.61 percent) to 180 votes (16.39 percent).
“I am very appreciative of the community’s support. We can’t thank them enough,” Safety Director Matt Hiscock said. “We will continue to be good with tax payer dollars and do the right thing on behalf of the community.”
“I am very thankful to the voters for passing this levy so we can continue to provide this high level of emergency medical care,” Fire Chief Carl Rommel said.
Rommel said Wadsworth offers the highest level of emergency medical care, with 22 paramedics on staff.
“The current levy has been in place for 10 years and costs have gone up,” Rommel said. “This will help us to keep up with the rising costs.”
Rommel added that the department could have been required to make some difficult decisions if the levy didn’t pass.
“We would hate to make cuts to staffing or levels of service, but we would have had to rethink some things,” he said.
Hiscock added that the passage of the levy will also help to expand some services as demand in the area increases.
Wadsworth EMS serves both the city and Wadsworth Township which includes a population of more than 27,000 over a 26.2 square mile jurisdiction. In 2016, EMS responded to 2,067 calls for service. Since the levy was renewed in 2012, Wadsworth EMS has responded to 9,825 calls for service.
The levy is a renewal of the current 2.3-mill levy, which expires at the end of this year plus a 0.2 mill increase.
The new levy will cost the owner of a property with an appraised value of $100,000 approximately $71.23 annually. Currently property owners with an appraised value of $100,000 pay $64.23 toward the levy annually so the passage of the levy means an increase of $7 a year.
According to Hiscock, passage of the levy will preserve the provision of modern core EMS services including Advanced Life Support by paramedics and Advanced Medical Technicians and Basic Life Support by EMTs. He has said the EMS levy is the primary source of funding for the operational and capital needs of the EMS department, amounting to between 52 and 55 percent of total operating revenues. The EMS does not receive any other tax dollar support.
Funds from the levy are used for a variety of equipment and services including heart monitors and defibrillators, CPR machines, power cots, stair chairs, oxygen, IV’s, splints, bandages and dressings as well as initial and continuing emergency medical training and certifications, EMS personnel costs, emergency radios and electronic EMS reporting systems, vehicle maintenance and fuel, ambulance replacements, capital building projects and public education.
