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Ross Township fire chief warns of staffing shortfalls and starts levy renewal process
Summary
Fire Chief Chris Johns told trustees the department was short-staffed for significant portions of 2025, accepted an $11,685 grant for gear-drying equipment, and the board authorized starting the process to place a 3-mill fire levy renewal on the May 2026 ballot with a Feb. 4 filing deadline.
Fire Chief Chris Johns told the Ross Township Board of Trustees that the fire department’s call volume rose in 2025 and staffing gaps created response risks that a levy renewal is needed to stabilize services.
"We made 1,630 calls for service in 2025," Johns reported, calling the increase roughly 7–8% year over year. He said 252 hours of staffing shortfalls were recorded in 2025 — the equivalent of about 98 full days, or 27% of the year — during which one station was closed. "If we had a central station, it wouldn't be as bad, but the stations are so far apart," Johns said, arguing a short minute can matter on emergencies.
Johns said the department secured a safety-intervention grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation in the amount of $11,685 to purchase a turnout-gear drying cabinet that will reduce gear-downtime and speed return-to-service after structure fires. The board approved Resolution 2026-00006 to enter into the grant agreement and establish grant fund 2925.
To address funding needs, Johns and trustees discussed placing the existing 3-mill levy renewal on the May 2026 ballot. The board approved Resolution 2026-00007 to begin the levy process and asked the Butler County prosecutor to prepare required language; trustees were told documentation must be submitted to the county auditor and the board of elections by Feb. 4 for the measure to appear on the May ballot.
The trustees voted unanimously on both the grant acceptance and the levy-necessity resolution. Next steps recorded in the meeting include requesting required financial data from the Butler County Auditor's office and filing the prosecutor-prepared resolution with elections officials to meet the Feb. 4 deadline.
