As early voting begins Tuesday, residents of Jefferson Township, Valley Hi, and Zanesfield will have the opportunity to decide on the renewal of the Tri-Valley Fire District (TVFD) levy.
The levy will appear on the November 4 general election ballot and is a renewal, not an increase, according to the Citizens for Tri-Valley Fire District Levy Committee.
In a letter to the community, TVFD Captain and Committee Secretary Seth Chambers encouraged continued support, writing:
“Residents of Jefferson Township, Valley Hi, and Zanesfield, starting on Tuesday, October 7th via early voting and with the general election set for Tuesday, November 4th, Citizens for Tri-Valley Fire District Levy Committee ask for your continued support with TVFD’s renewal levy. Tri-Valley Fire District operates through two levies. The primary use for the upcoming levy on the ballot is to pay crew members. The district has part-time paid employees and on-call volunteers. On-call volunteers are paid a nominal fee/stipend for signing up to cover shifts and respond to emergency calls.”
Chambers noted that the levy has helped the department maintain adequate staffing after facing a shortage of volunteers five years ago.
“Through the money received from the levy, part-time paid first responders and on-call volunteer first responders schedule shifts in eight-hour increments, 24 hours a day, providing two-member crews at a time,” he said. “Having crew members that are part-time and on-call volunteers periodically at the station assists with ensuring quicker response times, more routine equipment checks, overall cleanliness, and maintenance of equipment and facilities.”
The district currently includes 34 members, with 16 paramedics, 3 advanced EMTs, 13 EMTs, and 1 EMR, 25 of whom are dual-certified in both fire and EMS.
The levy renewal would generate an estimated $364,982 annually, at a rate of 4.5 mills—which amounts to about $158 per $100,000 of appraised property value—for five years beginning in 2026, with collections starting in 2027.
Chambers emphasized that the funding is essential to maintain the district’s level of service.
“Passing this levy is crucial to TVFD’s continued success and operational readiness,” he wrote. “TVFD members strive to protect lives and property by providing a prompt and effective response to all emergencies. This levy is only a renewal and not an increase or new levy.”
