The Sagamore Hills Fire District wrote a letter announcing that it would withdraw from the Northfield Center-Sagamore Hills Fire District in at least six months.
According to Northfield Center Township Trustee Paul Buescher, Sagamore Hills partnered with Northfield Center in 2010 to form a fire district. Now, Sagamore Hills wants Macedonia to cover their fire and EMS services. Buescher said he was unclear on how the change would affect Northfield Center.
In the letter, Sagamore Hills said over the past several months, Trustees from Sagamore Hills Township and Northfield Center Township have discussed regionalizing services among the communities, including fire and EMS services. Regionalizing could enhance coverage with Macedonia's full-time fire service. It would also, "likely," save tax dollars.
Sagamore Hills stated state funding cuts from Ohio to all local governments have put a strain on local budgets. The changes created new challenges for the communities as they attempt to maintain and enhance services without raising taxes.
The township said, "the days of operating our Fire District as a part-time volunteer department are simply not possible like they were in the past."
Sagamore Hills said it can see the benefits of combining its resources with Macedonia's, in turn helping to build it into an even better regional fire department.
To read the full letter, click here.
