Spring Valley village and township voters approved an existing levy and an additional mill to help the fire department Nov. 6.
According to unofficial results from the Greene County Board of Elections, Issue 18 passed, 846-493. With the passage, the fire department will receive approximately $188,000 annually from property taxes to increase staff. The existing 2-mill levy generated $105,000 annually and the township sought the additional mill to add firefighters, according to Chief Rusty Cross.
The owner of a $100,000 home will pay an additional $30.63 annually for five years.
The ultimate goal, Cross said, is to have staffing around the clock.
Cross said the department’s current budget is $278,000 a year and in March it will increase to $359,000. To add two individuals costs $500,000 a year and the increase will help the department inch closer to that.
“Instead of jumping the gun and going crazy with levies, we’re just trying to increase it gradually to make it easier on the community, try to educate the community about what we’re trying to do and just try to get more staffing 24 hours a day,” Cross previously said.