Ross Township budget review flags fire and EMS shortfalls; trustees consider levy timing and executive session on personnel

Trustees in Ross Township gathered to review the 2026 draft appropriation budget and a detailed presentation on the fire and emergency medical services (EMS) funds, where officials warned of reduced property-tax reimbursements and near-term pressure on operations.

The presenter, identified in the record as a staff member responsible for budget figures, told trustees the township will begin the calendar year operating under a temporary budget approved by the county budget commission and that permanent appropriations will be set after year-end close. The staff member said Butler Countyplans to double the homestead reduction for calendar year 2026 and that because state reimbursement will continue at the normal rate the township expects reduced net property-tax revenue for the fire fund. "Great times here in Ross Township," the staff member said, reflecting the strain such changes have on local finances.

The nut graf: The budget review combined projected revenue losses with a long list of capital and operating needs in fire and EMS — from aging medic units and stretchers to recurring medication waste — and included planned transfers from the general fund (the presenter referenced transfers of $175,000 and $200,000 to support specific funds). Trustees discussed options including a straight renewal of existing levies or a renewal with an increase; they were told that ballot language and timing will materially affect voter response.

The presentation identified several large equipment priorities. The staff member said three stretchers and associated power-load systems are past or approaching life expectancy; cardiac monitors in service (LifePak 15 models) are 14 years old and the newer LifePak 35 units were cited at about $53,000 apiece. Turnout gear was budgeted at roughly $4,500 per firefighter for a full set. The presenter also described options to remount apparatus boxes on new chassis (quoted in the discussion at roughly $190,000 for remounting vs. about $390,000 or more for a brand-new unit), and recommended staggering purchases so that all units do not age out at once.

On EMS operations, the presenter said the largest revenue source is third-party billing handled through a vendor the transcript names as "Medicap," which historically generated about $200,000 a year but is projected lower for the coming year. To avoid insolvency, the draft budget includes transfers from the general fund: one transfer of $175,000 to an operating fund and a separate $200,000 advance/transfer noted for EMS. The staff member said medication expiration and waste are persistent cost drivers and recommended creating a dedicated four-digit line item to track medications separately from other operating supplies.

Trustees raised several budget and accounting concerns during the review. They asked for clearer separation of part-time and full-time payroll lines so pensions and Social Security contributions can be tracked properly; the presenter acknowledged that in the past some part-time firefighters were set up in OPERS rather than Social Security and said correcting legacy bookkeeping is complex. Trustees also queried contracted services, franchise-fee receipts, and vendor arrangements for internet and phone services, and discussed whether the township can negotiate better terms for recurring fees.

The board discussed the risk of service cuts if revenue infusions cannot be sustained. With transfers from the general fund included in the draft, the presenter said the funds would be balanced for the coming year but cautioned that such transfers are not a long-term solution. Trustees debated timing for a renewal levy: running a straight renewal in May would preserve the status quo, while asking for an increase would carry the risk of voter rejection; prior ballot wording and the combination of requests were cited as lessons from a failed campaign.

Before adjourning the public portion of the meeting, trustees opened a motion (motion 25-132) to retire into executive session to discuss employment, promotion and compensation of public employees under the Ohio code cited in the motion. The transcript shows the motion on the floor but does not record a final vote or the outcome in the available excerpts. The board indicated staff may remain at trustees' discretion during the executive session.

What happens next: Trustees indicated they will finalize permanent appropriations after year-end accounting is closed and will consider levy timing and ballot language in the coming months. The board also directed staff to refine account-line separations (especially for EMS medications and part-time payroll), to pursue training-grant opportunities that open in December, and to further explore equipment replacement timing and potential grant or financing options.

Quotes from the meeting used in this article are attributable to persons or functional roles as recorded in the transcript (the primary presenter is listed as a staff member; trustees are recorded by name where provided).