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GOSHEN TOWNSHIP -- The board of trustees discussed grant funding for the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department in its meeting Tuesday.
Trustees discussed two state grants, one which had already been approved and one the department was requesting the township apply for. Trustee Shawn Mesler explained that while the department could apply for certain grants directly, since it was a private entity, there were certain grant applications which had to be submitted and dispersed through the township.
"To catch the public up, the grants that go through the State Fire Marshal's Office, some grants can be applied for by the fire department, some cannot because they're a private corporation we contract with for protection; however, it does allow for the township to apply for the grants, and let the department use them, but it has to go through the township," said Mesler.
Mesler announced that the fire department had been approved for the MARCS Radio Grant and would receive $39,693 for the purchase of new radio equipment and that trustees needed to formally vote to accept the grant. Trustees John Bricker and Teresa Stratton both voted unanimously to accept the grant, while Mesler abstained from the vote due to his position as the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department chief.
Trustees also discussed the department's request to apply for an equipment grant through the State Fire Marshall's Office. Damascus Volunteer Fire Department Trustee and EMS Coordinator Bill Stewart said that the grant was specifically for townships with a population of 25,000 or less and offers up to $15,000, which the department hopes to use for new turnout gear for the department's recent hires.
"We've been blessed to have gotten about half a dozen real good competent young firefighters and EMS. As we're building this department and moving in a positive direction, we need to be able to equip these people," said Stewart.
Stewart also said that he would look to see an increase in grant funding applications, including those state grants which must be filed through the township.
"Like Shawn [Mesler] was saying, all state grants have to go through you guys, and as trustee and EMS coordinator for the department, I'd like to see a lot more aggressiveness on these grants. When you get down to it, we're talking about free money from the state," said Stewart
Bricker said that he was happy to assist the department in pursuing any grant funding that needed to be filed through the township, noting that during his time with the department it was unable to apply for grants of that nature even through the township.
"Being a retired member of the department, if there are any grants that you can get that have to go through us I'm more than happy to listen and to do it, because it's helping the community. It's not just about the fire department or the township, this money's coming back to the community. When I was chief you couldn't even apply for some grants that the township could get, and they're changing that now and I'm willing to help get any grant that will get you guys equipment to help anything in the township," said Bricker.
Trustees voted to submit the application, with Bricker and Stratton both in favor, and Mesler abstaining.
Mesler also said that there had been discussion about potentially putting the 2-mill property tax replacement levy which funds the department back on the ballot for the first time since 2008. Mesler explained that there is pending state legislation that could potentially ban putting replacement levies on the ballot, and he had been asked to find out what that 2 mills would generate if updated for 2023 property valuations.
"There's some pending legislation in the state right now with some politicians which want to take away the right to put a replacement levy on if that would ever pass, everybody that has a levy on would be stuck at whatever their last replacement was, so currently the fire department is living on the moneys of 2 mills back in 2008," said Mesler. "As we all know since our property taxes went up our properties are worth more now than they were in 2008, so the department asked me to figure out how much money the 2 mills would be now if they were to put a replacement on the ballot."
While no formal action was taken on the issue, Mesler noted that should the department request to place the levy back on the ballot trustees would need to pass two resolutions first -- a resolution of necessity for the levy, and a second resolution to officially place it on the ballot.
Other fire department matters approved included the re-appointment of April Thorne as the township's fire prevention officer, with Mesler again abstaining from the vote and Bricker and Stratton in favor.
The board of trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. March 12.