Meeting on Monday night, Boardman Township’s Board of Trustees---Tom Costello, Brad Calhoun and Larry Moliterno---voted unanimously to place a 4.5-mil tax levy on the November 5 ballot to raise funds for EMS services.
      According to the resolution, the levy will be “for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefor, or sources of water supply and materials therefor, for the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications, for the payment of firefighting companies or permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighting, emergency medical service, administrative, or communications personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required for such personnel under section 145.48 or 742.34 of the Revised Code, for the purchase of ambulance equipment, for the provision of ambulance, paramedic, or other emergency medical services operated by a fire department or firefighting company, or for the payment of other related costs, at a rate not exceeding 4.5 mills for each $1 of tax able value, for a period of five years, commencing with the tax year 2024, first due in calendar year 2025.”
      If approved, the levy will raise about $6 million a year and cost taxpayers about $1.50 per day, Township Administrator Jason Loree said.
      The administrator said that Boardman Township explored the concept of a regional approach---merging the Boardman Fire Department with the Cardinal Joint Fire District (Canfield City and Canfield Township Fire Department).
      “That did not work out as the City of Canfield was not in favor of a merger,” Loree said, adding Boardman Township also explored a county-wide EMS system.
      Without support for a merger or county-wide system, Loree said that “left Boardman with only one choice, which is to give our residents the opportunity to decide to improve EMS services in their our community.
      “If this levy effort passes, Boardman Township will ensure that there is never a situation that two of our ambulances are providing back-up to other communities so that we keep Boardman residents first.
      “This levy will also all place an EMS unit each of our three stations, as well as a fire/rescue unit.
      “Unlike other communities that can only staff either an EMS or a fire at one time, Boardman wants to ensure staffing that can support both types of response. As part of this service, Boardman residents will only be charged what their insurance covers. Non-residents would get a full bill.”