MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — There are levy votes scheduled in various counties in West Virginia Tuesday including a volunteer fire levy in Monongalia County.
The levy, last approved in 2016, supports 12 volunteer fire departments, a brush fire team and a hazardous response team. Volunteer fire departments serve more than 70 percent of the county population according to Whitney Porter with the Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department.
Porter said the pandemic has eliminated many traditional fundraisers, leading to tough times for local first responders.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the volunteer fire departments financially,” Porter said. “Cheat Lake alone has lost more than $40,000 that we raise each year through event rentals and fundraisers.”
Porter said the future of some department hinges on the success of the levy at the ballot box.
“We’re very fortunate at Cheat Lake, we have savings accounts, we’ve had great board members who have put money aside for pandemics and natural disasters, but some departments are struggling and I don’t think they’d survive without it,” Porter said.
In addition to fires, volunteer units also search for missing hikers, respond to medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents.
Each of the 12 fire departments and the Hazardous Incident Response Team receive $50,000 for each year of the levy for a total of $250,000 for the five years.
“Currently it’s 42 cents per $100 of assessed value, the new levy rate is only 38 cents for the first year which is less, but all your property values went up,” Porter said. “So, we’re actually going to get $51,500.”
The current proposal on the ballot includes a three percent increase in the second, third and fourth years of the levy.
If the new Fire Levy is passed here is a list of proposed uses for the money:
1. Cheat Lake, Ladder Truck $300,000
2. Granville, Building Payments $60,000, Equipment Purchases $140,000
3. Triune Halleck, Tanker $250,000, Building Repairs & Improvements $70,000
4. HIRT, Truck Payments $21,000, Equipment Purchases $46,000
5. Brush Fire, New Truck & Bobcat $50,000, Training $10,000, Equipment $5,000
6. Westover would purchase a new rescue truck with equipment.
7. Fire Association, Tanker Expenses $8,000, Insurance $20,000, Communications $10,000
8. River Road to build a new building to replace their current building.