Fire Fund: 11.5% Increase

Fire Fund: Since 2006, spending in the fire department has increased 11.50% compared to a Consumer Price Index increase of 10.24% (from December 2005 to December 2008; I'm using December because that is realistically when we finalize our budget and what we expect to spend for the following year). The 11.50% increase includes the addition of 5 new firefighters as per the March 2008 Levy Proposal approved by voters. That means we will increase manpower without going significantly outside of inflation.

This was possible through diligent review of expenditures, careful planning and fiscal restraint. With cost efficiencies and fiscal discipline, we were able to 1) stop the borrowing the fire department had become dependent upon; 2) hire 5 new firefighters; 3) begin to repay the general fund the monies the Fire Department had borrowed and perhaps most importantly, 4) maintained the quality service our community expects and deserves.

New Location for Fire Station #2

Ever since the barrier dividing Central Avenue was put up by ODOT years ago, concerns have been voiced regarding the impact on fire and EMS response from Station #2 on Central near 475. These concerns were seriously considered when the Township Trustees began looking for new property to re-locate Fire Station #2. After an exhaustive search, our diligence has finally paid off.

I am very happy to announce that Sylvania Township's offer to purchase property to relocate Fire Station #2 has been accepted. Property located at 3004 McCord Road (between the two medical buildings on McCord just south of Central) was identified several months ago as meeting the specific needs of the Fire Department with regard to location, access to north/south and east/west corridors and lot size. With the cooperation of The Toledo Hospital, current owners of the parcel, the Township will be able to relocate Station #2 to a site which first and foremost, will maintain excellent response times in this area of the township, while at the same time is affordable and does not encroach upon residential areas.

One of the major advantages of this location is its access to both McCord Road and Central Ave. For those familiar with the Central Park West Access Road, the new location is adjacent to the access road, providing access not only directly onto McCord Road south of Central, but will also provide convenient and quick access to Central Avenue at the traffic light at Central Park West. This is a marked improvement over the non-lighted access of the current station and thus improves the safety of not only our Fire Personnel but the traveling public as well.

The Toledo Hospital and ProMedica has made extensive investments in the Sylvania community, providing quality medical care to our residents and businesses, while providing valuable jobs and contributing to our solid tax base which funds our schools, parks, and safety services. I appreciate their willingness to help us improve the service of the Fire Department by making available to us this new location for Station #2.

Fire Department Update

This installment of my Township Update will focus on the Fire Department, which has been extremely busy the last 18 months fulfilling the promises of the 2008 1.25 Mill Fire Levy. But first, a brief announcement about the Police Department:

Fire/EMS Response Time: Best in County

I am proud to say that the Sylvania Township Fire Department has the best response time in Lucas County, with an average of approximately 4½ minutes. This response time is a testament to the dedication and training of our firefighters as well as the commitment of Sylvania taxpayers to the quality of our community. Response times natural fluctuate based on numerous factors, but we have consistently maintained average response times of 4:00 to 4:30 for the last several years. We meet the national standards set by the NFPA with 90% of our calls being answered in under 4 minutes.

Brief Fire Department History

The last few years have not been easy for the Fire Department, starting back in 2005 when former trustees tried to increase the fire tax by over 200% while the department was consistently spending more than its revenue. I was part of C.A.T., Citizens for Accountable Taxation, which lead the fight against that huge tax increase, believing that we can maintain quality services without exorbitant tax increases. Following that defeat, Pam Hanley and I were elected at Trustees and we began the work of doing just that.

It took a while, but finally I was able to sit down with various stakeholders in the community, including City of Sylvania officials and members of Safe Sylvania, to help build consensus and a compromise on what the community can afford and what the fire department needs. Everyone was in agreement that new facilities and equipment were needed (due both to the age of the facilities/equipment and due to past neglect); we needed more flexibility in staffing; and we needed a volunteer force that supports the work of the full-time firefighters, especially in dealing with high-demand events such as extreme weather conditions or a large structure fire.

The end result of my efforts to find a compromise was the 1.25 Mill Levy which was approved by voters in March 2008. The levy will provide for four new fire engines (three of which we have already taken delivery of and are putting in to service); renovation of Station #4 and construction of three new stations; hiring of five new firefighters including adding a new day-shift to provide better flexibility and help address training/overtime issues; and a revamped volunteer force. Work has begun on each part of the levy promises, with some portions having been completed.

In looking back both at the failed 2005 Fire Levy and the successful 2004 Police levy which, as indicated by our continued tax holiday more than adequately funds the police department, it becomes apparent that prior boards thought we needed to spend more, a lot more, to maintain quality services and even expand those services extensively. Part of this can be attributed to population trends that indicated Sylvania Township was going to grow 10,000-15,000 people in the current decade. Such growth rates have not been realized. But beyond that, it is important to note that when asked to, better yet - when expected to, these departments can remain in budget; they can provide top-quality services at a price our community can afford.

Station #4: Renovations Complete - Open House Scheduled

Renovations to Station #4 are complete and were brought in at 98% of budget. The renovations totaled approximately $822,000. Updates include moving the fire administration into new offices from their 70+ year old headquarters at Station #1. There is now new office space, meeting and training rooms and storage facilities at Station #4, as well as new facilities for the firefighters stationed there including new dorm, kitchen/day and workout rooms.

A Re-Dedication and Open House has been scheduled on October 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. for the community to see the renovated Station #4 on Sylvania Ave.

Other Items To Note

Those are the big items that are very visible to the Sylvania Community when it comes to the fire department. But there are a lot of smaller items that have added up to improve the service and create a more effective and efficient fire department, including:

• Increasing fire training, including new training facilities, live fire training exercises, and mutual training opportunities with surrounding jurisdictions;

• Increase mutual aid assistance with Springfield Township to provide safer highway emergency response;

• Introduce Fire Hydrant Inspection Program lead by our volunteer firefighters to confirm the availability and access to all fire hydrants within the service territory;

• Introduce Fire/EMS Dispatch Policy to the dispatch department to better meet the needs of the Fire Department;

• Inspecting every commercial building in the City of Sylvania and Sylvania Township each year.

To summarize, the Sylvania Township Fire Department continues to provide the best service in Lucas County, but at 1/3 the tax increase that was asked for back in 2005. Government can provide quality services at less cost; we just have to be work at it. That is work that I have been doing and am willing and committed to continuing.

Improving Fire Dispatch

The Sylvania Township Police Department provides dispatch services not just for the Police Department but for our Fire Department as well. Our dispatchers work 24/7 to keep communications open between our officers and other safety personnel and it is imperative that the dispatch center works to the benefit of both departments. Making dispatch calls for both police and fire can have added complications. In the past, these complications were overlooked and ignored, sometimes making the Fire department's job more difficult.

This past year, the Fire Department and Police Department worked together to develop the Sylvania Township Fire Department Communication Manual, which contains dispatching protocol to help improve the efficiency of fire dispatching and guide training opportunities for the dispatchers. This manual is a vital component that will make sure the needs of the Fire Department are met when units are called to a fire or emergency medical situation.

Re-locating Station #1

Several weeks ago, the Sylvania Township Fire Chief and Township Administrator appeared before Sylvania City Council's Safety Committee, presenting to the public for the first time a proposed location for Fire Station #1, at the corner of Monroe and Parkwood. I had pledged during the levy campaign to work with the city on relocating Station #1 so that city officials were comfortable with the service level they would be receiving. To be clear, while Station #1 has been historically located in the city, all four stations service various areas of the city for fire and medical emergencies, thus maintaining quality services throughout the township and city. But I know certain city officials and residents were concerned with the placement of a station within the city, and I agreed to work with them on the issue.

Going back to the first of the year, township staff met repeatedly with city officials to identify potential locations for Station #1. Each location that was suggested by city officials was reviewed for a variety of factors, including availability, cost, affect on response times, access, building footprint, and location in relation to our other stations (as well as other factors). Location after location was eliminated because one of these factors was not acceptable for a suggested site. The location at Monroe and Parkwood was initially disregarded by me as being too close to a residential neighborhood. But after eliminating virtually all other locations, officials from the City of Sylvania requested that we again look at the viability of this location.

So, our administrator and fire chief brought the idea back to the Trustees and we agreed, but acknowledged that we would need to keep open communications with the city officials and residents and we did so as much as possible.

The meeting with the Safety Committee was not the first time the city council members had been approached regarding the proposed location at Monroe and Parkwood. On an individual basis, trustees met with one or two city council members, so that everyone had an opportunity to voice their support or concern for this proposed location. After having received verbal support from all but one city council member, trustees directed our administration to move forward with contract negotiations. Once we had the property under contract, we arranged to have our staff appear before city council's Safety Committee to introduce the proposed location to the public.

Needless to say, the public did not embrace this proposed location for a new fire station. I am certainly disappointed - this location addressed numerous safety issues for our community and the township spent a lot of time and professional expense in reviewing this site and negotiating an acceptable purchase agreement, based on the verbal approval we received from a majority of city council and other city officials. But I am not going to force this location on neighbors who do not want it. Many at the meeting thought this was 'a done deal', but in truth we have proceeded slowly and have not reached a point of no-return.

Sylvania Township did not go down the road of placing a fire station near a residential neighborhood blind to the response of residents. We proceeding with the support and approval of almost every city official we spoke with regarding this location. We have since rejected the tentative purchase contract for the Monroe and Parkwood location. I am not hopeful that an alternative site can be found within the time limitations that we have and I expect that we will be rebuilding Station #1 at its current location in downtown Sylvania. Rebuilding at the current locations has some inherent disadvantages, but we will work with them to continue to provide top-rate fire and EMS service to the Sylvania community.

A Last Resort - Eminent Domain

One of the great freedoms of our country is the freedom to own property. This right is enumerated in the Fifth Amendment of our Constitution, where it states that private property shall not be taken for public use, without just compensation. The right of private property is one that I hold dear and value as it is the foundation of our society and economy. In action today as a township trustee, I voted to authorize our legal counsel to start eminent domain proceedings against private property owners. I do not take this action lightly; it was a difficult decision but ultimately it was necessary in order to preserve the safety and welfare of the Sylvania community.


For the last six months, the Sylvania Township Trustees have worked diligently to secure and prepare a new location for Fire Station #3, currently located at Monroe and Whiteford. The last remaining roadblock to construction of this new facility is the ability to hook in to the county sanitary sewer system. To do this, we need access, commonly called an easement, across a neighboring property in order to reach the sanitary sewer.


Unfortunately, owners of several neighboring properties are adamant in their refusal to grant us such access citing speculative development value of their properties. Their demand to create an easement around not only the buildings that currently stand on the properties, but innumerable potential building locations as well, is simply impossible to do.


The reality is that Sylvania needs a fire station now; we cannot wait until speculative development of the property happens. Voters passed a fire levy in March 2008 which authorized the construction of three new fire stations. Sylvania Township has an obligation to our community to do exactly that. In order to build a new Station #3, we need sanitary sewer access. The adamant refusal of all adjacent property owners has lead to only one conclusion - Sylvania Township must take action to secure private property for public use.


I reject the use of eminent domain for private development projects, and reject the notion that such private projects have a public purpose simply because they increase the tax revenues of the government. But in a seeming paradox, we are being asked not to take property because of the potential future benefit to current owners, thus disregarding the current benefit and necessity to our community of safety services. I will not use the government's eminent domain authority to benefit private individuals, but I also will not allow the potential benefit of one to take priority over the needs of the entire Sylvania community.

Fire Station 3 To Be Relocated

The Trustees discuss progress on the fire levy at almost every meeting, but sometimes the details don't make it to the community in general. Our most recent step in implementing the fire levy plans is approval to purchase land at 5046 and 5056 Haddon Road which is at the corner of Whiteford and Haddon, just north of Monroe Street. This property encompasses just over an acre and was purchased for $100,000.

While our levy proposal did not include costs for the purchase of land, we are comfortable with this purchase price and with the remainder value of the current fire station location at the corner of Whiteford and Monroe.

As far as plans for the other fire stations, those are moving forward as well. Station 4 will be undergoing renovations over the winter which will move department headquarters from Station 1 (downtown Sylvania) to the station on Sylvania Avenue. We awarded contracts for the general construction, HVAC, plumbing and electrical at this week's meeting, contracts which came in under budget by about 8% for this portion of the building plan.

We are still considering new locations for Station 2 (Central/475). Finding property that is available, affordable, and that meet our needs with regard to location and size has been more challenging for Station 2 given the heavy traffic and land prices in the Central Avenue area. We are considering several options and hope to have property under contract before the end of the year.

With regard to Station 1 in downtown Sylvania, we are working with the city to relocate this facility. While a location was initially identified earlier this year, it was later eliminated due to logistical concerns. We have not received any other proposals regarding new locations for Station 1 from the city since then. Since Station 1 was scheduled to be the last to be rebuilt (in 2010), we still have time to consider a new location. If a new location cannot be identified (and there are similar concerns with regard to availability, affordability, and location), we have already confirmed that a new station can be built at the site of the current Station 1.

Fire Union Negotiations

We are currently in the process of negotiating a new contract with the fire union. We have quickly moved from negotiations to fact finding (a mediated process) because there did not seem to be any true intent by the union representatives to negotiate with the township. Typically we agree not to discuss the issues being negotiated during the process by signing an agreement setting out the ground rules. But IAFF Local 2243 declined to sign on to the ground rules this time. So I am free to talk about our negotiations.

Union negotiations are always a give-and-take process; we ask for stuff, they ask for stuff, both sides compromise and find something in the middle. As I said with the police negotiation, this is not a win-win situation; everyone thinks they lost something. Which probably mean we have a decent compromise.

But in the case of the fire department, I was truly astonished by the extent of their initial demands. I won't go into line-by-line detail, but will outline two items. First, from a straight financial standpoint, the requests are astronomical to the extent that the 1.25 mill levy that was passed earlier this year will not even begin to pay for the monetary demands. In fact, their demands would have the department in the red by over $8 million in the next three years, a situation that would require a 2.3 mill levy be passed next year just to keep them solvent for three years.

Even the seemingly non-financial issues their proposal calls for can lead to significant cost increases to the township. The union has requested that the firefighters be restricted to performing only 'traditional' firefighting or emergency medical care. When asked, the union declined to define the phrase 'traditional', but I think it would be easy to interpret this to mean they don't want to mow the lawns, shovel the sidewalks, or maintain and clean the living areas, etc. Now, some will say "but you don't make police officers do that stuff" which is true. But when we pay a police officer 8 hours to work, they are performing police duties for those 8 hours. When we pay a firefighter for a 24 hour shift, we are in essence paying them to be available, because (thankfully) they are not actually performing firefighting or EMS duties for the whole 24 hours. So while we are paying them to be available, they are eating, and sleeping, and working out. I don't think it is unreasonable that they do other stuff like sweeping floors, mowing lawn, and doing dishes while waiting for a call to come in. If they don't clean and maintain the fire stations, we'll be forced to hire someone to do this work for them.

Certainly, the township asked for numerous items as this process began a few weeks ago. Most important, we asked for contract restructuring that will allow us to implement the plans as put forth by the Fire Chief during the levy campaign. Without these changes, the fire levy will not last the 5 years projected.

So while we are taking steps to make sure the fire levy fulfills the pledges made to our community, the fire union is looking for more money ... to the tune of twice what the voters of Sylvania already agreed to this year. In fact, it is even more money than the operating levy which was turned down 4-to-1 back in 2005.

We'll keep working to negotiate a union contract that is financially sustainable and provides a department structure that allows us to implement the fire levy plans. It may take a while, but it's our obligation to the community who relied upon the chief's plan in voting for the fire levy.

Life Squad Billing

Last month, the Lucas County Commissioners voted to begin billing for the use of Life Squads, the advanced life support ambulances that are paid for through sales tax revenue. The Sylvania Township Fire Department mans a Life Squad, and we respond to Life Squad calls dispatched throughout Lucas County, though the majority of time it remains in the Sylvania area with occasional runs in outlying areas to the west, Springfield Township, Toledo and Ottawa Hills. I adamantly oppose soft-billing of Life Squad services for several reasons.

The decision to begin billing is based in part on a supposed need for increased revenue for the EMS system. The EMS system is supported by a sales tax that was passed specifically for this purpose a couple of decades ago. Officials say this is not enough to continue to support the system as it currently exists, and that soft-billing is just a band-aid. But this 'band-aid' has been 6 years in the making - yes they have slowly been working up to nailing the taxpayers with soft-billing for 6 years, and yet it is only a temporary fix. Instead of taking 6 years to provide a temporary fix, why didn't they seek a permanent solution?

Let's talk about what soft-billing is and how it negatively affects you. Soft-billing is the practice of billing insurance companies for use of the Life Squad by county residents. Any billed amount not paid by the insurance company is not pursued. For those who end up utilizing the Life Squad who do not live in Lucas County, the insurance company is also billed, but if they don't pay the entire bill, the user will be pursued for the remainder, up to and including collection action. For those who work or shop in Lucas County and directly or indirectly pay income, sales and real estate tax, that doesn't matter, they will still be hard billed for services. One excuse for doing soft-billing is that it 'doesn't cost' anyone anything. Wrong. It costs your insurance company, and your insurance company sets your rates based on how much is paid out on behalf of your group. So soft-billing will negatively affect insurance rates, though admittedly it may only be a minor amount (because the cost is spread out among so many insureds).

Sylvania Township receives approximately $660,000 from the county for manning Life Squad 6. Unfortunately, it costs closer to $1 million to operate it 24/7. We have happily subsidized this cost, as have the other four jurisdiction that operate Life Squads, because it provides a valued service to our community, not just Sylvania but the county as a whole. But in deciding to begin soft-billing, there is no agreement or firm intention to increase the amount of money the township will receive. So, while the County will be profiting off of the efforts of our firefighters, we continue to subsidize this service at great expense.

Another problem that I have with the soft-billing is the reasons they give for soft-billing, such as increased run volumes and more complex medical protocols which strain the system. Yet there is no data to support these claims. And the guestimate of $2-3 million in revenue from soft-billing is literally just that - a guestimate. There has been no study or review of run data done to arrive at that figure. They could be off by millions, they have no idea.

Finally, Lucas County EMS implements and directs new medical protocols be used in the treatment of patients without any follow-up study or review of medical data to determine if the new/added medical treatments being used are successful in preserving life. These new protocols take added personnel to implement and therefore are very expensive to the township to support and implement. If they are successful - GREAT! It is well worth the added cost. But we don't know if they are successful because there is no follow-up study being done. And again, we are being compensated at a rate that does not even cover manning the Life Squad with two Paramedics. These protocols can take three or more personnel to successfully implement.

For four years we have been reimbursed at the same rate for the Life Squad, approximately $660,000. Yet our costs are increasing (wages, benefits, insurance, fuel, etc.) every year. Add on top of that the increase demand on our personnel. Sylvania Township is being asked to provide more and more, while we are paid the same. Meanwhile, Lucas County will now begin to profit from the work of our employees (as well as the other jurisdictions' employees) with no guarantee on where that soft-billing revenue will go. There is some intent that a portion of it will go to purchase new Life Squad units, but that is not in writing. There has been some talk apparently that revenue will be shared with other jurisdictions that do not staff Life Squads, in order to supplement their fire and rescue services. But no guarantees, no promises, no commitments, just a decision to begin soft-billing.

I am opposed to the county implementing a plan to soft-bill for Life Squad services until a study has been completed which reviews all options for funding and providing emergency medical services and advanced life support transportation to those in both our community and throughout the township.

7510 Wind River Drive - UPDATE

As previously announced, today the Sylvania Township Trustees held a hearing regarding the property located at 7510 Wind River Drive in Sylvania Township. This was a quasi-judicial hearing based upon section 505.86 of the Ohio Revised Code, which authorizes the Trustees to order removal of any building located within the unincorporated territory of the Township which has been declared insecure, unsafe or structurally defective by any fire department, county building department or declared unfit for human habitation by the county board of health.

Today at that hearing, we heard testimony from John Walters, Chief Building Inspector for Lucas County, Nathan Fries, Registered Sanitarian for the Toledo/Lucas County Health Department, Deputy Chief Tom Eisel of the Sylvania Township Fire Department and Jim McGowan, a local builder/developer who had no pecuniary interest in this property. We also heard testimony from area residents as well as several people who stated they had an interest in this property and were performing work at the premises.

Repeatedly, the testimony that we heard was that this property was not safe, it was not secure, and it was structurally defective, all a result of the fire which occurred in November 2006, and the fact that the house remained open to the elements since the fire. Damage included water-soaked wood, standing water in the basement, and mold and mildew due to being open to the elements. Testimony regarding the ability to renovate the property included the statement that anything above the foundation was unsalvageable.

Given the testimony presented to me and the other trustees by experts in their field related to the housing and building industry, the trustees unanimously passed a resolution calling for the removal of the structure located at 7510 Wind River Drive in Sylvania Township. The resolution was declared an emergency, dispensing with the second reading, and takes effect immediately in order to preserve the public peace, health, safety and welfare of Sylvania Township.

We have authorized our Planning and Zoning Manager, Mr. Tim DeWitt, beginning thirty (30) days after service of the Resolution upon the owner and all lienholders of the property, to remove and secure the building and all appurtenances located on the property.

This has not been a quick process, and I want to thank all of the residents who have expressed concern regarding this property yet have been patient in allowing the township to work through the processes necessary to deal with troubled properties in our community.

Fire Department Overtime

Earlier this year, after the fire levy was passed, a document was put together by several members of the Fire Department regarding the cost of overtime and the potential benefit of hiring more firefighters in an effort to reduce overtime. This report seemed to indicate that overtime would almost be eliminated if three firefighters were to be hired into the department.

Unfortunately, further review of the information indicated problems with the assumptions, calculations and methodology used. At our June 17 trustee meeting, Fire Chief Welsh acknowledged that the data used to make calculations was inaccurate and the methodology was flawed.

Reality is that numerous factors contribute to overtime, including training schedules, family and medical leave, military leave, minimum manning, shift holdovers, large incidents, etc. While hiring an additional fire fighter may lower some categories of overtime, it will actually increase other categories of overtime.

I am constantly reviewing financial information to make sure we are operating as efficiently as possible while maintaining the high level of services our community is used to. This includes analyzing the affects of recalling firefighters from laid-off status. At this point, due to retirements, etc., we have been able to recall two of the three laid-off firefighters. We are maintaining 52 firefighters on staff until we begin to receive the proceeds of the 1.25 mill levy next February, at which time we can begin to implement the staffing proposals of the levy.

First Things First - A Successful Fire Levy

The fire levy passed. That's good news. It puts to rest the uncertainty on the direction of the department and the level of service. The trustees have a clear plan, as put forth by the Fire Chief's levy proposal, on additions to our staff, construction of new buildings and new equipment and apparatus purchases.

We are moving forward on implementing those plans, which include:

1. Building three new fire stations to replace stations 1, 2 and 3. Geographically they will be in the same location, but we are reviewing potential site locations in order to increase safety and response times.
2. Remodeling station 4 to accommodate the department headquarters including training facilities.
3. Increase shift staffing to 55 firefighters which is the desired staffing level needed (according to Chief Welsh) to staff 14 firefighters on duty at all times.
4. Add a new day shift which will provide 2 additional full-time firefighters from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday. Peak usage of our fire and EMS services tends to be during the weekday, thus these two firefighters will help to meet peek demands on our fire department as well as minimize overtime due to training.
5. Enhance our part paid/volunteer program. Volunteer firefighters have been a vital part of the Sylvania Township Fire Department for 35+ years, but in the last few years the program has waned. The program as Chief Welsh has outlined will do two things. First, it will provide for volunteers to be scheduled to work evening and weekend shifts to supplement our full-time crew. Second, it will provide a larger pool of people to respond in the occasional instances of large and involved fire or emergency medical incident.

I supported the chief's proposal because it introduced into our department an economically sustainable staffing structure that will help to keep our excellent level of first responder services at a price our community can afford to pay.

To be clear, the levy that was approved will not begin to be collected until February 2009. Given that, and a very tight 2008 budget, we are limited on how quickly we can implement the entire levy proposal. But we are certainly moving in that direction and look forward to successfully fulfilling the promises of the levy in 2009.

Finally, Let's Talk Money

At the end of 2007, cash resources of the Township increased by $5,737,488.46 from the end of 2006. This includes an increase of over $3.2 million in the general fund; almost $700,000 increase in the police fund; and almost $250,000 in the fire fund (this carryover balance will help maintain service levels in the fire department for 2008 until the department begins to receive the new levy revenue).

The only major fund that had a decrease in fund balance from 2006 to 2007 was the Road & Bridge Fund. The decrease was $17,000. The road department works on a different budgeting horizon, often saving up cash resources for several years in planning a large road project, so it is not unusual for the cash balance to vary greatly from year to year. Bottom line is that despite this small decrease in cash balance, the road department is in good financial position.

What does this mean, to have increased cash resources by almost $6 million to $14,282,862.35? Some believe this means we are being careful with taxpayers dollars, simply by having not spent all the money we received. (Having excess cash is good, but it is not necessarily evidence that wasteful spending does not happen.) Others believe that all of this money means we should be spending more in the fire department. (Just because we have money doesn't mean we should spend it. All township services should be efficient and effective, so that we are not wasting money. ) And still others believe that this means we should be cutting taxes and letting our residents and businesses keep more of their money.

The right answer is probably a combination of all of these. It's a delicate balance and obviously there is a wide range of opinions s to whether that balance has been met. But I continue work hard to do what I can to keep a good balance of keeping cash reserves, spending wisely, and keeping taxing as low as possible so that we stay "A Place to Grow".

Where do we go from here

Last week’s election had a mixed message, one that can be interpreted several ways. There was enough support for increased funding of the fire department to place a levy on the ballot and a certain level of support at the ballot box. However, there was clearly enough opposition to defeat that levy as it was structured as well.

One thing that I think is quite clear is that without working together, we will get no where. No new money, no solid plan, no communication. And probably most importantly, no level of comfort or trust from the community.

So, I am committed to working with all our stakeholders to reach a consensus regarding the operation of the fire department. But I can’t have that conversation with myself so it is just as important (not more important, not less important) that those other community stakeholders be willing to work with me. That means compromise on both parts. I am confident that compromise can occur without impairing community safety, and in the end our citizens can be assured that fire and rescue services will continue to be of the highest quality.

In that spirit, I have reached out to the City of Sylvania and I have reached out to Safe Sylvania about where we go from here. I have spoken to numerous people involved and plan to speak to more as the next few weeks pass. Fire safety in Sylvania will be maintained, and I am committed to bringing stability to our fire services.

On the bright side, our new Fire Chief Fred Welsh will have the opportunity to show the community what he sees as his vision for the fire department. He brings with him 30+ years of fire fighting experience and has a lot of new ideas and a fresh perspective. He is without the lingering distrust that may still be around after the rough road to the election. I look forward to giving the community an opportunity to see the experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm Chief Welsh has shown the trustees. Being able to give Chief Welsh the opportunity to help formulate a plan for the fire department is perhaps the only positive result from this recent election debacle.

DeeDee Liedel,
Sylvania Township Trustee

Competing Fire Levies

The push has started to convince the Sylvania community that they are in imminent danger, a danger that can only be remedied by raising our already high property tax rates. Recent rhetoric by members of the group Supporters for a Safe Sylvania is meant to do nothing but scare the public in to giving the township more money, money that we don't need to provide quality fire and EMS protection to our community.

The trustees have determined that a 0.5 mill operating levy is sufficient to continue funding our fire department at its current service level. However a citizens group is encouraging a 1.5 mill levy, three times the money we really need. They have also said our 0.5 mill capital levy is not enough, either.

Let's start with the 1.5 mill operating levy the citizen group has put on the ballot. It has been described by a member of the firefighters union as a band-aid on a bleeding artery. Adding $2.2 million dollars on a $6.8 million budget is only a temporary fix? They want $2.2 million now, and they want even more in 5 years. What is really needed according to them? They haven't said, just vague references to a "permanent" solution along with demands to increase our staffing 50%. In other words, hold on to your pocketbook, they want to dig a lot deeper.

Members of the group are also attacking our capital levy saying that it's not enough. Again, they want more. They want more space for more firefighters. Now mind you, our plans allow for twice the number of firefighters than we have now, allowing for future growth needs. But eighty percent of the township is built out; almost the entire city is built out. How much bigger do they want? How many more fire fighters? But they want more. More than twice the staff than we do now, if the proposed fire station plans are too small. More space, more money, higher taxes. Keep a tight grip on that pocketbook.

We currently operate an extremely effective fire and EMS service, with excellent response times. Over 80% of our fulltime firefighters are paramedics, a percentage matched by no other department in this region. Our first responders - the first vehicle out to any medical emergency call - are staffed with paramedics, providing unparalleled service to the residents and visitors of the Sylvania community. We respond to the needs of the community with timely, trained staff.

In 2005, the then-trustees tried to increase annual funding for the fire department by $5 million. I helped lead the campaign opposing such an outrageous increase in our property taxes and it was defeated by voters four to one. While we ostensibly have a citizens group trying to raise taxes now, it is supported by the same people - the firefighters union. They want $2.2 million now, more operating money in 5 years, plus more than $740,000 a year to build new buildings. Do you think we're getting close to the $5 million we so soundly turned down 2½ years ago?

Spending in the fire department has doubled - DOUBLED - in ten years. Now they want another 32% increase. We don't need it. We are not cutting services; we are not replacing our full time firefighters with part time volunteers; we are not going to an all-volunteer force. But we are demanding that the department watch its spending, that they operate in an efficient manner.

One levy supporter stated that "one of these levies will accomplish something and the other one won't." That is true. One levy, the 1.5 mill citizen levy, will continue to push up the cost of living in Sylvania and make it harder for families and retirees to remain in Sylvania because our property taxes are out of control. It will tax our residents needlessly and will make it more difficult for other property-tax based entities to get needed funding in the future. The other one, the 0.5 mill operating levy, will keep property taxes as low as possible while maintaining our excellent fire and EMS services.

Enhanced Emergency Services

I am pleased to announce a new emergency service that is being offered to the residents, businesses, and visitors of Sylvania Township and the City of Sylvania. Starting August 20, 2007, we began offering simultaneous dispatch of ambulance services to those who find themselves in need of being transported to a medical facility but are not in a life-endangering situation.

Under the past structure of EMS services, when a medical emergency call was received by our fire dispatchers, they would send out one of the fire department's first responders - a crew of at least 2 fire fighters including at least one paramedic - to respond immediately to the scene and provide medical care. If during the initial call to 911 the dispatcher believed the call was life threatening, the Lucas County Life Squad housed at Station 1 would be dispatched at the same time.

However, if the incident was not considered to be life threatening, our first responders would be sent alone. Once on the scene, they would assess the situation and determine if medical transport would be needed, at which time an ambulance would be called to provide basic life-support transportation to a medical facility of the patient's choice. By waiting until the first responders arrive and assess the situation, an additional 10-15 minutes could go by before the patient was headed to the hospital. Now, let me reiterate, this is in non-life threatening situations.

By working with the Lucas County EMS and private ambulance companies, it is now standard operating procedure to dispatch an ambulance at the same time our first responders are sent out. This will reduce the wait before the patient can be transported to a medical facility; reduce the amount of time our first responders are out of service on a call; and increase community safety as it reduces the number of emergency vehicles operating with lights and sirens.

This enhanced emergency service is being provided to those in need in our community without making our taxpayers subsidize transport services for non-residents. If the ambulance is cancelled en route or if the patient declines transportation, the private ambulance companies will not bill for services not rendered. Finally, this will allow our firefighter/paramedics to concentrate on what they were trained to do - fight fires and provide emergency medical care, not drive an ambulance.