Voters in a number of Mahoning County townships and villages will be asked to support new levies Nov. 8. Proponents say many of these will benefit local police and fire departments by addressing issues of aging equipment and low staffing.

POLICE

Milton Township Trustee Dave Tomaino said many police departments nationwide are understaffed, including Milton.

The department has five full-time and five part-time officers.

“We can’t retain people,” he said. “With a smaller department, we hire them, train them and they often find a better opportunity.”

He doesn’t blame young officers for seeking those jobs because many of them get into the career for the “action,” which he said is often lacking in smaller, sleepier towns.

Tomaino said the department is heavy on community policing, which means police try to be as visible as possible — but it takes its toll on cruisers.

A 3-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time is on the ballot. In a letter to residents, Milton police Chief Charles VanDyke said the township has been proactive in seeking state and federal funds to augment the budget, but those aren’t as available as they once were.

Residents with a $100,000 home would see an increase of $105 per year in property taxes if the levy passes, the letter said.

• Stagnant revenue in Goshen Township is why voters are being asked to support a 1.3-mill, five-year additional levy for police.

Trustee Shawn Mesler, who also is a captain with the Salem Fire Department and assistant fire chief in Damascus, said officers aren’t paid a competitive wage, cruisers have high mileage and maintenance costs have increased.

The money is needed badly, Mesler said, noting there aren’t enough funds now to buy a new cruiser and that a levy should have been placed on the ballot a few years ago.

“We have no resumes on the desk right now if anyone quits or retires,” he said. “We need to keep up on training so we can be competitive.”

If approved, taxpayers with a home valued at $100,000 can expect an increase in property taxes of $45.50 per year, he said.

• Voters in Green Township will see a 2-mill, five-year additional levy for the police department, which contracts with Goshen Township to provide protection.

Fiscal officer Randy Chismar said the last police levy was approved in 2009 and new monies will go toward personnel and equipment. Taxpayers with a $100,000 home could expect a $70 per-year increase in property taxes.

Smaller departments are often a “revolving door” for officers who move on for better pay, he said, explaining the levy will allow it to be more competitive.

The department was supposed to replace one cruiser this year, but the money wasn’t there, Chismar said. Because of the nature of the job, cruisers withstand a lot of wear and tear quickly, he added.

“If you get 100,000 miles out of a cop car, you’re doing pretty good,” he said.

l In Smith Township, voters will be asked to approve a 3-mill, five-year additional police levy. Chief Paul Ceresna said equipment is aging and out of date and he’s made “tough scheduling decisions” and eliminated extra shifts to cut costs.

In an email, Ceresna said the levy would generate approximately $231,994 per year “which would allow us to remain a police department and hopefully get staffing levels back up.”

He said a $100,000 home would see an increase of $8.25 per month or $99 per year.

The department hasn’t had a new cruiser since 2016 and the last levy passed in 1999. Ceresna said rising costs outweigh revenue, making it hard to sustain the small department of 10.

FIRE

Berlin Township voters will see a 4.5-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time for the fire department. Firefighter Sam Barnhouse said the additional money will allow the all-volunteer department to staff the station with at least one person every day of the week, all year.

Taxpayers with a house valued at $100,000 would pay $157.50 per year in property taxes.

When he started with the department 12 years ago, Barnhouse said, it averaged 300 to 350 calls per year. Now, those calls top 500 and most are EMS-related or from other departments needing mutual aid.

l Ellsworth Township fire Chief Ted Smith said a 5.77-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time will help the volunteer fire department expand services.

Residents with a home valued at $100,000 would pay an additional $201.95 in property taxes each year.

This is the first levy brought before voters in 21 years, Smith said, adding, “I think we’ve been very prudent.” Expanding services is necessary, he said, because his department is fielding more medical than fire-related calls.

The goal is to staff the department with two firefighters at all times to respond to emergencies, he said. Smith also explained that more certification is needed these days and departments need EMTs and medics.

“They can’t just be all volunteers,” he noted.

l Voters in Beloit are being asked to support a 6-mill additional fire levy for a continuing period of time. Council member Matt Hutton said money will go toward operations including apparatus and equipment and that voters have historically been supportive of levies.

“In my 40 years around here, I’ve never seen one fail,” he said.

The cost will be $210 per year for taxpayers with a home valued at $100,000.

ROADS, BRIDGES

A 1.5-mill, five-year additional levy for roads and bridges will come before voters in New Middletown. Village Mayor Harry Kale said it will generate $43,807 per year for upgrades. The cost for residents with a $100,000 home would be $52.50 per year.

He said pandemic restrictions kept people home, so fewer drivers on the roads meant less revenue from a gas tax that helped fund repairs.

He said this is the village’s first road levy. The money will help the village provide more long-term repairs.