Chardon Council starts process to renew combined fire levy

It appears that Chardon voters will have the opportunity to renew financial support for the fire department in November.

City Council on May 10 initiated placing on the ballot a three-year renewal levy totaling 5 mills.

The issue combines a 4-mill levy first approved in 2004 and a 1-mill tax added in 2012. Both were renewed in 2015 and are set to expire at the end of this year.

“This is just the first piece of legislation, which asks the auditor to certify the amount of revenues that would be generated by the renewal levy,” Deputy Finance & Human Resources Director Heidi Delaney told council. “Next meeting you would do the second piece to formally put it on the ballot.”

Last year, the combined levy yielded $758,573 for the department and cost homeowners $146.52 annually per $100,000 in property valuation, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office.

The revenue may be used toward fire apparatus, equipment, appliances, buildings, sources of water supply and materials, personnel, and the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications.

The fire department is a private corporation funded by the city, and Chardon and Claridon townships. The city funds a majority of the department’s budget.

The percentage is based on property values and the average number of calls in each community per year, Fire Chief Larry Gaspar has said.

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