Despite sending a letter to the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office in May requesting information about what would happen if the City of Canfield were to pull out of the Cardinal Joint Fire District, city Manager David D’Apolito said there are no plans to do so.

“At this time, now that Boardman Township has withdrawn its bid,” from joining the fire district, “the city has no plans to dissolve the fire district,” D’Apolito said.

Canfield trustee Brian Governor echoed D’Apolito’s sentiment, saying, “This is not something the board of trustees has discussed.”

On Friday, Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham sent a news release describing what would happen if a city or township were to withdraw from a fire district.

“There have been several recent references to the county auditor’s responsibilities when a municipal corporation withdraws from a fire district,” Meacham wrote in the release.

At the May 1 city council meeting, D’Apolito reported he sent a letter requesting information on what would happen if the city were to pull out of the fire district and go on its own.

Meacham said he had received the request and wanted all parties involved to understand the process.

In the release, Meacham stated, “Ohio law provides that a municipal corporation may withdraw from a joint fire district by the adoption of a resolution ordering withdrawal.”

According to the release, following the passage of a proper resolution, the municipality would cease to be part of the joint fire district on Jan. 1 of the following year.

The release also states, “Upon the withdrawal from a joint fire district, the county auditor will, among other things, ascertain, apportion and order a division of funds on hand.”

However, according to Meacham, that study wouldn’t take place until the resolution is adopted.

“No one should be waiting for me to do a study,” Meacham said.

Despite the request for information from the city, Meacham states in the release his office hasn’t received a resolution.

However, “In the event the City of Canfield ultimately provides notice of its withdrawal from the Cardinal Joint Fire District, the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office will perform its duties as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code,” the release states.

D’Apolito’s request for information from the auditor’s office came after the city earlier this year passed a resolution in opposition to Boardman joining the fire district.

The district’s firefighters union, Canfield Professional Firefighters Association Local 4507, joined the council’s opposition.

Despite ongoing conversations in recent months, Boardman officially pulled out of merger talks in May.

In late May, Governor and the rest of the township trustees said they had not taken a position on the merger as they were waiting for more information about the benefits of Boardman joining the fire district. However, at that point, Boardman had already decided to end talks.

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