Letters To The Editor

Department hurt
by negativity
To the editor: I’m asking the voters of Lake Township to support our fire department. It is sad that the continued negativity, which is incorrect, hurts our fine men and women of the department.
These individuals respond immediately when called upon – sometimes putting their lives at risk.
They are very dedicated to this township.
We have two levies on the Nov. 5 ballot. The first was introduced in the 1980s and replaced in the 1990s. It brings in $240,000 per year for the fire service and currently funds the salaries of our two full-time captains and volunteer (part-time) personnel. This levy is vital to the operations of the department and is not a new tax to residents.
The second levy is a new 1.5-mill levy with the intention of providing four full-time paramedics for the department. We currently have two full-time and three part-time paramedics. Our hope is to move the three part-time paramedics to full-time and look for a fourth full-time person.
This is crucial to the quality of runs we make – to put at least one paramedic on each run. If this levy doesn’t pass, there is a good probability that we will lose three part-time paramedics to other departments.
The pool of paramedics is small – and we are at the bottom of the pay scale. If we get down to two, you will most likely receive EMTs at your door – who have limited capabilities.
Our next option is to rely more heavily on our mutual aid contracts with our neighboring departments – which could mean longer response times and could ultimately lose lives.
Recently, our dispatch service budgeting has been questioned by the mayor of Walbridge. We are currently contracting with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department for police, fire, and EMS dispatching. It is spelled out in our contract that the sheriff dispatches for each department.
For the past 20 years we have split these costs: 1/3 police, 1/3 fire and 1/3 EMS.
Each of the departments has its own levies, so it seemed fair to split the cost of this service evenly.
If we were to change the formula – say 50/50 with police and fire/EMS, this difference is $20,000. We would essentially take away the police budget to give to the fire budget. Why would we rob Peter to pay Paul? Putting a burden on another department unnecessarily is not right either.
I hope you will support the men and women of the Lake Township Fire Department.
Melanie Bowen-Greenwald
Lake Township trustee

OEC supports
State Issue 1
To the editor: You might be surprised to learn that the Ohio Environmental Council a policy group protecting our air, water, land and climate, also leads the Citizens not Politicians effort supporting Issue 1.
The reason; because a healthy environment needs a healthy democracy. As residents of Northwest Ohio, we face an enormous environmental issue; the health of Lake Erie. As individuals, there is little
we can do to stop the pollution that affects our well-being, jobs, and local economy. Collectively, however, we can make a difference.
What is the best legacy you, as an Ohio voter, can leave to protect our environment? A yes vote on Issue 1.
Ohio’s congressional and state legislative district maps are gerrymandered; we have been unable to elect legislators who enact solutions to the environmental issues important to us. Let’s stop gerrymandering and the election of politicians who care little about our viewpoints and who block substantial change.
We do have solutions to the impacts of climate change, but not the legislators who will support us as citizens and enact those solutions.
As environmental issues become more complex and imminent, we need legislators who will respond to unique climate challenges. Fair, competitive, and representative maps will allow the voters of Ohio to elect leaders who will be champions for the environment.
Ellen Greene Bush PhD
Port Clinton
(Dr. Bush is on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Environmental Council.)