Issue 14: Westfield Township and Fire Department to have a proposed tax levy on election ballot

WESTFIELD TWP. — A new levy that supports the Westfield Fire Department will be on the November general election ballot. Issue 14 is a 2.5-mill, five-year levy proposal. If passed, it will provide the township's fire department with $292,000 a year. Westfield Township residents would pay $88 a year per $100,000 in home value. Westfield Township Trustee Kent Patterson said the levy will help the Westfield Fire Department continue to offer the best possible coverage. "It was around 2012 or 2013 that was the last time we asked for money of this nature," Patterson said. "A township has a lot of responsibility, they take care of the cemeteries, and they take care of the roads. One of the primary ones is the safety and security of the people. That's why it is important that we have a good, functional fire department." Patterson said that if the levy passes, the fire department wants to use the funds to help provide better 24-hour coverage. He said that the funds raised by the levy will go to potentially supporting more personnel and purchasing new equipment if maintenance is not possible. Patterson said the fire department serves a wide area, including the Cloverleaf school district, and wants to make sure it is providing the best possible coverage. He also cited the aging population of Westfield Township as a key motivation for passing the levy, as it allows the fire department to operate more efficiently. "I think we serve the community well with what we have, but we just need to ensure that we can maintain that and improve it," Patterson said. Contact reporter Patrick Rhonemus at (330) 721–4050 or prhonemus@medina-gazette.com.