Needing money to hire more staffing at the Hubbard Fire Department, especially during daytime hours, the Eagle Joint Fire District Board on Wednesday decided to move forward in placing two levies on the November ballot — one a renewal for equipment, and the second an additional levy for personnel.
While official action to place the two levies on the ballot will take place at the board’s 7 p.m. June 12 meeting at city hall, one will be a 1-mill, five-year renewal levy for equipment to generate $207,000 annually, which was passed in 2015. The board said the second millage amount and length will be reviewed, but it will be an additional levy to generate funds to hire more firefighters.
The deadline to get an issue on the general election ballot is early August.
Western Reserve Joint Fire District Chief David “Chip” Comstock said the issue Hubbard and many volunteer fire departments are facing is lack of staffing, mostly during the day when the firefighters are working other jobs.