Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse Cardinal Joint Fire District board members, from left, Richard Russo, Gary DiTullio, Dave Knarr, Christine Oliver and Marie Cartwright hear a report from fire Chief Don Hutchison about two part-timers attending a paramedic course at Mahoning County Career & Technical Center.

CANFIELD — Cardinal Joint Fire District members agreed on the importance of having a plan for the possible loss of property taxes at their meeting Monday.

A group is circulating petitions to put the abolition of property taxes on the November ballot statewide.

“The issue comes down to making sure voters are informed,” said CJFD Attorney David “Chip” Comstock. “It would be the out-of-state property owners who will benefit the most. The people who live here will be making up the difference.”

Comstock said if the property tax goes away, everything could go to regionalization, from police and fire, to the schools. He said even local governments could become regional governments.

CJFD Vice Chairman Gary DiTullio wondered what would happen if governments became regionalized. He asked if that meant the fire district would have to break up.

Comstock told the board only cities that have an income tax would be able to continue. He said any entities relying on property tax would have to find a better way.

While no decisions on the matter took place, all agreed the issue needs to be taken seriously.

“We need to think about strategic planning,” said board member Marie Cartwright.

On a different matter, fire Chief Don Hutchison said he has two part-timers enrolled in the paramedic classes at the Mahoning County Career & Technical Center. One has the roughly $5,900 tuition paid for by the Fire Chief’s Association, but the second one has not yet been approved. Hutchison asked the board to approve the $2,725 needed to start the first three months of the training, which includes book and lab fees.

“There could be grant funds for the second part-timer (Landon Gardner),” Hutchison said.

He said the goal is to get Gardner started in the present class. He told the board he would be required to serve in the Cardinal department at least two years.

In other business:

• Board member Christine Oliver requested and was granted a moment of silence to remember community member Emilio Sebastiani, who passed away on Feb. 7 at age 53. Oliver said he will be missed.

• Hutchison said the department received 242 calls in January, 130 of which were ambulance transports. The district responded to 11 mutual aid calls and received one.

• The board unanimously approved the hiring of Olivia Hunter as a part-time firefighter contingent upon her passing background checks.

• The board unanimously accepted the resignation of Capt. Conner O’Halloran, who went on to serve in the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency and 911 Center.