Southeast county ambulance levies pass
May 2—The southeast portion of Ashtabula County will be able to continue to fund ambulance service through Community Care Ambulance after four levies passed in four different communities in Tuesday's primary election.
The village of Andover, Andover Township, Williamsfield Township and Wayne Township all agreed to increase their millage from two mills to three to pay for increasing costs for ambulance service. All four levies passed and Andover village and Andover Township also passed renewals to make their ambulance service three mills.
The issue became critical during the coronavirus pandemic when the Andover Emergency Room closed and typical half-hour round trips became two hours or more to Meadville, Chardon, Ashtabula, Warren or Conneaut — leaving the area without ambulance service.
The levies maintain the status quo, but make sure the service is available.
The three townships and the village held a variety of meetings, with Cherry Valley and Richmond townships, in hopes of finding a solution. After the completion of the discussions Richmond chose to contract with Pierpont Fire Department and Cherry Valley left to join the South Central Ambulance District.
The remaining four government entities decided to add the extra mill to continue to contract with Community Care Ambulance. There have been discussions between village and township officials about the possibility of some day starting an ambulance district.
Andover Township Trustee William French said he is happy all four areas supported the levy.
"That is very good news because you never know when you will need an ambulance. ... This will guarantee us two years and I think we can make some sort of deal [after the two years] with Community Care," he said.
The new one-mill levy in Andover village passed 77-12 and a two-mill renewal passed 83-7.
Andover Township passed the new one-mill levy 113-7 and a two-mill renewal by 119-9.
Williamsfield Township passed the new one=mill levy by a vote of 54-36 and Wayne Township was successful by a vote of 44-24.
French said the levies maintain the status quo and mutual aid ambulance service from Pierpont, South Central Ambulance and other places will try to meet the important need of having an ambulance available when one is needed.
