Voters give nod to both replacement and new fire levies

by Chris Studor

There will be more hands on deck when Hinckley residents call for first responders following the passage of both a 1-mill, five-year, renewal levy and a 1-mill, five-year additional levy for fire protection a the polls Nov. 8.

Unofficial returns from the Medina County Board of Elections show the 1-mill renewal levy, Issue 24, was approved 3,039 to 1,053. The 1-mill additional levy, Issue 25, was approved by a vote of 2,222-1,861.

“I want to thank all the residents for their support. It is greatly appreciated, said Fire Chief Jestin Grossenbaugh. “These funds will allow us to continue to meet the needs of the fire department now and in the future.”

Grossenbaugh said the department has been working for several years to add a third person to each shift at the station to immediately respond to calls.

“Having that third person means that someone can drive the rescue vehicle while two people are able to tend to the patient in the back of an ambulance,” said Grossenbaugh. “This is especially important when a patient is seriously ill or agitated. It is also very helpful when lifting people up who have fallen. When it comes to fire emergencies, this means a third person on the scene immediately which increases the forms of ground operations we can conduct.”

Trustee chairperson, Melissa Augustine, said voter support of the levies “shows the residents’ desire to uphold our fire services.”

“Our residents see the value of our fire department and I am grateful for the community’s support as we traverse the next stage of a process that Chief Grossenbaugh and I designed in 2022 with three man staffing,” she said.

Trustee Monique Ascherl said passage of the levy “was imperative to remain a fully functioning fire department.”

“I would like to thank the voters of Hinckley for their support and confidence in the fire department,” said Ascherl. “The new levy will allow our department to grow as our community grows and ensure three persons on all shifts. Chief Grossenbaugh and I will be working closely in the coming weeks to reconfigure the staffing model and continue interviewing candidates. We are both fully committed to making our fire department the best in Medina County.”