[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6286433,"mediaKeyId","2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c","parentId",2559925,"title","Trustees weigh public-safety pay, billing and equipment requests; EMS billing rates raised, staffing pay and weapons accessories unresolved","audioSeconds",471,"startMs",4361000,"endMs",4832000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c&start=4361&end=4832","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c/thumbnail_4361000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6286433/Ohio/Trustees-weigh-public-safety-pay-billing-and-equipment-requests-EMS-billing-rates-raised-staffing-pay-and-weapons-accessories-unresolved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286433-b4a88438df8c12c9bf735bd1278150aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773630694&Signature=CyMR2UXWwaZirXYhfg4r65wCZqxJBkwmTrSYPxVsZhdC8QO2-l8ljV~Xc1HROCOruXzrb-gQM9nfmA0QBytK29xQa3dIefNXyW8zRrrhKiczqlOD3ffwx6az-m4V25jxk-wVc3HBECH-g5H1iyx2FXDxt1LuV2cCCn44TcU9o~mkx48~8Ccg7qjDOXu8qwCTFmWNoOSPmUU0flia-H7JwWXvYT~SrEBUVy7ZXIfUiKkS-NoedeGQ9I1x8JhMTT998HZOBq-RqcMFQeOfDNHDGHKEArsZYvfXD5IYvZ7FYHtq1ex7HPHxoNiEfwJvId3EUHqJtoe-Rrpc6JKsOER-FQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-12T01:18:42Z","article","Fairfield Township trustees addressed multiple public-safety items on March 11, approving updated EMS billing rates while asking for more data on staffing pay increases and equipment purchases.

EMS billing rates: The board adopted a resolution revising emergency medical services billing rates. Trustees voted to approve the change during the meeting; roll call followed and the resolution was adopted.

Part-time firefighter and paramedic pay: The fire department chief requested higher hourly rates to keep part-time paramedics and EMTs competitive with neighboring departments. The chief reported a regional average of about $21.40 for paramedics and $18.65 for EMTs, and proposed raising township rates to $22 an hour for paramedics and $19.50 for EMTs from current starting rates reported as $19.30 and $18.50 respectively. Trustees requested a fiscal analysis of the budget impact and said they would return to the issue with projected overall cost numbers before approving any change.

Police equipment request: The police chief outlined three equipment requests: suppressors for rifles (safety/hearing protection), Kevlar helmets (six units requested) and annual ammunition for range and training. The chief gave a vendor estimate of roughly $30,000 for suppressors, about $3,600 for helmets, and $6,100 for ammunition—totaling roughly $39,700 in line-item figures. The chief said the suppressors are on state bid; trustees discussed whether purchases could be phased and suggested waiting for the next settlement receipt if needed. No equipment purchases were approved at the March meeting; the chief planned to return in April with a funding plan.

Lexipol subscription and fire policy: The board was briefed on renewal of the Lexipol policy and training subscription for the fire department at a proposed renewal price (staff reported ~$17,436.08). Trustees discussed the subscription's role in policy conformity, training and liability mitigation and deferred final approval; the renewal is not due until May. Separately, trustees adopted fire department policy manual updates recommended by Lexipol, including work-related illness/injury reporting and temporary modified-duty policies intended to reduce lost time and workers' compensation exposure.

Overall, trustees approved the EMS billing rate update and adopted required fire policy changes but asked staff for cost projections on pay increases and phased equipment purchases before making additional spending decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fairfield Township Board of Trustees Meeting 03/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved a change to EMS billing rates but deferred decisions on a paramedic/EMT pay increase and police requests for suppressors, helmets and ammunition pending cost details; trustees also discussed Lexipol subscription renewal and adopted fire department policy updates.","taxTitle","Fairfield Township, Butler County, Ohio","taxId",55541,"location","Ohio","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6286436,"Trustees approve paving and park fencing, accept pickleball grant while questioning signage, security and rising workers' comp costs",0,6835000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c&start=6835&end=6835","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c/thumbnail_6835000.jpg","/articles/6286436/Ohio/Trustees-approve-paving-and-park-fencing-accept-pickleball-grant-while-questioning-signage-security-and-rising-workers-comp-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286436-f62777356eff5746e71ce992408eb21e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773630694&Signature=hcAix008qr3pX5f~6JgsBOsSiXo9J3-9kkwrVl76B1VbKs80XRvM~5q9dbcXx5eUO2BQ~pugIxpdjVltht10epFgwacShn0ZyIMWHRWnvs1P2lgFAJE0SWq3KVMEe9Fj7a4N6LqG7V3Ypq6ZTnfYYEo1bKJjhoGh-AHP-JLJ4t2jqMleYdcCKKJ81kamxKBHFkkw1idTxFKT7zW-r0YWvqDCNGtvmtsM1~DmnS0a2M36rWl3m6ayfQ1UwYCInTHsfsPPZ02AH~cC~8xrcLV3DGePHManpfOVaHYNNP64v6-Nge7jQPECORahSYC~jspoFDFc99MI0JJIyVTWoH9WqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fairfield Township Board of Trustees on March 11 voted to approve several capital items and debated other infrastructure requests as trustees pressed staff for detailed cost breakdowns and financing plans.

Paving: Trustees approved a contract award and payment to John R. Jurgensen Co. for the township's share of the 2025 paving program. The board authorized payment of $834,623.14 for Fairfield Township's portion of the multi-jurisdiction bid. The contract award follows a county-managed bidding process that combined township needs with the county and other jurisdictions.

Park projects and grants: The board approved a $6,375 purchase of commercial-grade chain-link fencing for Milton Street Park, to be paid from ARPA funds. Trustees also authorized the township administrator to sign an Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) grant agreement for the Heroes Park pickleball conversion; the grant covers approximately $35,000 toward converting a tennis court to four pickleball courts, and the township will need to match the remainder of the project cost.

Security cameras and signage: Trustees reviewed a quote to replace electronic sign cabinets at three township sites and debated whether to approve sign replacements that had quotes around $42,000 per sign. One trustee urged getting multiple bids and making signs larger and readable at typical road speeds; another said the township has more pressing priorities. The board asked staff to solicit additional quotes and to present a separate cost breakdown for cameras proposed for the Veterans Memorial and the administration building, since part of that cost might be covered by the Veterans Memorial Committee.

Workers' compensation assessment and budget context: Trustees and staff discussed an unexpected workers' compensation assessment. Staff reported a supplemental assessment this year of roughly $13,000 and said the township's workers' comp payment would be about $85,000 in the current year and rise to roughly $126,000 the following year based on recent claims history. Trustees requested staff investigate causes, training remedies and whether participation in loss-control programs could reduce future costs.

Calendar and cash position: Trustees also discussed short- and long-term budgeting. One trustee said the township's general fund balance is about $8.6 million and pointed to upcoming debt retirements that will free cash in coming years; another trustee urged caution about timing any levy request and asked for multi-year financial projections that include projected economic-development revenue from local projects such as Schneider Electric.

No action was taken yet on sign replacements or the camera purchase; staff were instructed to return with additional quotes, hardware/software cost breakdowns and analysis for how the township could pay for these projects.","At the March 11 meeting trustees approved the 2025 paving contract award share and fencing at Milton Street Park, accepted an ODNR reimbursement grant for Heroes Park pickleball courts and debated proposed security cameras, electronic sign replacements, and a rising workers' compensation assessment.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6286442,"Trustees debate repair vs. rebuild at Fire Station 211; geotechnical borings ordered, motion to bid repair fails",440,841000,1281000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c&start=841&end=1281","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c/thumbnail_841000.jpg","/articles/6286442/Ohio/Trustees-debate-repair-vs-rebuild-at-Fire-Station-211-geotechnical-borings-ordered-motion-to-bid-repair-fails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286442-e7ba591ec24559d2db73d7bb9c29fc24/orig.mp4?Expires=1773630694&Signature=E9dOAs5spCNOeeaBzLkDvEAO1lOFeSmB8sUjC2GVnVaaUyv3umvBlcAQUwWJUM0r03FE2doJ9PnCh4li54FuuQCZAUSepkuZ8jy7T8HyhHrel4GAKLKGn5IKauxtLnixu1KFoiOol3mgtFjKe94XiDdM-Twf4v2yi1G7bI2lafm84hK5QfHBZLaZJAql8sCq0VaGQuCAHA8GCWrtLjKwoV52YrG5EXv-Ge5fQn-4I4D5aaf3QYwDFAEuhZRmoGYr5L3OTSRJ2O-CY~nNqENJWdhGYXULRVIoBMVBao9rV5JFcDGL8tXgQZlQQM~0ZzekS1iQmMGj9l8Zm8UOafdqSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfield Township trustees spent an extended portion of their March 11 meeting discussing long-running problems at Fire Station 211 and whether to repair, extend or replace the building.

\"We went ahead and hired a company to do some geotech borings on the parking lot to the south of the fire station,\" Miss McKenzie, the township staff member overseeing the project, told the board. The borings are intended \"to be able to rule it out or rule it in\" as a feasible site for a new station, she said.

Trustees debated four broad approaches presented in staff materials: a limited-repair option (option 1), a new roof with changed slope (option 2/2.5) and more extensive building work or rebuild (option 3). One trustee summarized the immediate choices as whether to \"put a band aid on it\" with repairs or spend substantially more on a new roof, altered roofline and other structural work.

Trustees also discussed timing and cost uncertainty. Miss McKenzie estimated the geotechnical borings would cost \"$5,000, $6,000, something like that,\" and later confirmed the figure again as in that range. Several trustees said they wanted the borings and architect data before committing to significant spending, while others pressed to move quickly to contract work to stop ongoing water damage.

A trustee moved to \"move forward with option 1 and put it out to bid, get a real number and move forward.\" The motion received no second and \"died\" for lack of a second, leaving the board without a formal directive at the March meeting.

Board members asked staff to return with the geotechnical report and additional detail on repair time frames, costs and financing options; trustees discussed possible timelines to consider a special meeting if data arrived sooner than the regularly scheduled April meeting. Several trustees expressed concern about taking on more debt and emphasized comparing short-term repair costs against the potential lifespan extension those repairs could buy.

No formal spending authorization or contract award was made at the March 11 meeting; the board requested additional technical information to inform a future decision.","Trustees discussed multiple options for Fire Station 211, including full replacement and targeted repair. Staff reported geotechnical borings have been ordered to assess feasibility; a motion to move forward with a roof-and-repair option and put work out to bid failed for lack of a second.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6286445,"Fairfield youth coalition reports declines in student substance use, asks trustees to consider future funding",634,122000,756000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c&start=122&end=756","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2559925-f1433adbc7c4c1168be1ff9c9b9a4c7c/thumbnail_122000.jpg","/articles/6286445/Ohio/Fairfield-youth-coalition-reports-declines-in-student-substance-use-asks-trustees-to-consider-future-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286445-0847fb7fc69ef798d3ed524beaa90d29/orig.mp4?Expires=1773630694&Signature=h8XPuD3OQtRMnAIcRyk3CwGceD5sbbsVBvnxdUd52dMXTBfyj4xll6ukaLARuVZtJ55yAeKSyuPEQYq1jc3WNbUN9K~8eaZqpLwW4jfPzFauoR2~3MpVGdeWwVIU~QP2EVcrutHT-3qKID4Uu9NQjPNyr6tr8H5LvuxA8ngkV~PIAzUfATfXO7o8~NM4rG9KeOrPPtoY3cIyBNnAvktI0PfIYMLgAVxgG4zRi~90Y2DR6WRHiwoeDuR3w5AUULTdRoY9DVfJ-WoB7IvWABxFVB3YX6E8XAvuhBZRJY2l08XC2wVUMz0PoBpj1wiepwTSumx2At32jGAQ5ZdODkfP6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joe Marcus, the executive director of the Fairfield Discussion Foundation, told the Fairfield Township Board of Trustees on March 11 that the Fairfield Prevention Coalition used a $10,000 township award for youth substance-use prevention programs and returned to the board to report results. \"We were so gracious when we got the $10,000 to do prevention work,\" Marcus said, adding the coalition focuses on prevention rather than treatment.

The coalition's student leaders described activities and recent survey results. \"We actually have 4 youth coalitions in and around our community,\" Julia Shuster, student coalition president, told trustees, saying the groups run red-ribbon-week events, safe prom and graduation campaigns, Project Sticker Shock and a \"You Make a Difference\" campaign. Shuster said self-reported use from 2019 to 2023 showed declines: prescription pain-medicine abuse decreased 38 percent, alcohol use decreased 51 percent, marijuana use decreased 16 percent and tobacco use decreased 86 percent.

Regina Rai, the senior representative, described a peer outreach program presented four times a year that uses skits and non-scare messaging, and said the coalition has reached an estimated 750 students over 10 years. Caris Melimasaro, the youth coalition secretary, described spring campaigns tied to prom and graduation and an initiative called \"Sticker Shock\" that places warning stickers on alcohol containers at participating sellers to discourage sales to minors.

Marcus and student leaders emphasized continuing threats posed by opioids and prescription pain medications. Marcus said the coalition follows evidence-based prevention work and said recent national conferences show expensive downstream costs for treatment and recovery, but that local prevention can reduce risk. He noted in the presentation that latest survey results showed about 2.1 percent of students reporting nonprescribed use of prescription pain medicine, which the coalition said is a key area for prevention.

Trustees thanked the coalition for the update and asked operational questions about school discipline and how campaigns fit into the school year. Marcus said he was not a school employee but cited the school director of people services as pursuing alternatives to suspension. The coalition said vaping and other reported youth substance use remain on a downward trend locally and regionally following COVID-era declines.

The coalition asked trustees to consider further funding in future budgets; the students said they will seek a city proclamation for safe-prom month and planned a community silhouette campaign to reinforce positive social norms. Trustees did not vote on funding at the March 11 meeting but invited the coalition to return with additional details if the board wants to consider future allocations.","Members of the Fairfield Prevention Coalition—including student leaders—updated trustees on prevention campaigns and survey results showing declines in youth substance use; coalition requested future funding consideration and said it used a $10,000 township award for prevention work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Trustees weigh public-safety pay, billing and equipment requests; EMS billing rates raised, staffing pay and weapons accessories unresolved

Trustees approve paving and park fencing, accept pickleball grant while questioning signage, security and rising workers' comp costs

Trustees debate repair vs. rebuild at Fire Station 211; geotechnical borings ordered, motion to bid repair fails

Fairfield youth coalition reports declines in student substance use, asks trustees to consider future funding