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The levy would cost a property owner $61.25 per year on $100,000 worth of property.
Voters rejected a 3-mill levy in November 2017 by 51 to 49 percent, according to the Greene County Board of Elections. That proposal would have funded the firefighter position as well as a full-time police officer with some revenue for improving the downtown area.
City Manager Melissa Dodd said current staffing of the fire department is “thin and fluctuates day-to-day.”
“We've struggled in recent years like many other fire departments to maintain volunteer staffing and most recently the number of available part-time firefighters has decreased as well,” Dodd said. “Adding a career member allows us to rely less on part time staffing ... Ultimately, it will maintain the fire and EMS protection that this community has come to appreciate, expect and deserves.”
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Bellbrook Fire Chief Jim Neidhard said adding a full-time firefighter will allow the city to “adequately staff the fire department to respond to two emergency situations at one time.”
“We are currently only able to handle one call at a time,” Neidhard said. “If a second emergency call occurs, we have to rely on mutual aid from others. This response can often be much slower and in emergency situations, response time is crucial.”
Election polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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