Renew levies for Camden Township

Camden Township voters should stay the course by renewing two property-tax levies that appear on the May ballot. One levy, Issue 18, is a 2-mill levy that funds the township's Fire Department, while the other, Issue 19, is a 1.5-mill levy that pays for upkeep on the township's roads. We'll take Issue 18 first. Were it to pass, the levy would generate just over $107,000 annually, according to Lorain County Auditor Craig Snodgrass' office. The levy forms the bulk of funding for the Fire Department, Chief Adam Woodrum told us Thursday. In addition to paying for the department's 18 members, the levy money helps pay for equipment and supplies. The department also sets aside some money each year to save up for large purchases such as fire trucks. While the Fire Department sometimes gets grants and receives a bit of money for providing services in the southern part of Henrietta Township, it would be hard pressed to continue operating without the levy, Woodrum said. "We're not sitting on a ton of money where we can afford to operate without it," he said. The department is busier than ever. In 2024, township firefighters went on 166 runs and in 2025, they went on 183 runs. Already this year, they've gone on 45 runs. Township voters seem to recognize the importance of the Fire Department. In 2021, they doubled the millage of the levy. At the same time, they voted to reduce the millage on the road levy, which township Fiscal Officer John Ciarrone told us was bringing in more money than was necessary. "We're frugal with the money," township Trustee Gust Ristas told us. "We watch where every dime goes, always have." Beyond that, in 2024, township voters approved a bond issue to help pay for construction of a new fire station, which recently opened. Were issue 18 to pass, the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $36 per year, according to Snodgrass' office. That's a reasonable sum to have firefighters ready to respond to emergencies. Issue 19 also is a reasonable request. That levy would generate a little more than $64,000 annually were voters to approve it, according to Snodgrass' office. Ciarrone and Ristas told us that money goes toward maintaining the roughly 19 miles of roads the township is responsible for. The township also gets some money from other sources to help pay for road work, but the levy remains an important funding source. "We've got really nice roads for a township," Ristas said. Were issue 19 to pass, the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $19 per year, according to Snodgrass' office. Renewing both levies, which would be in place for five years, would cost that homeowner a combined $55 per year. That the township can keep the roads repaired and the Fire Department operating for such a small amount shows that township officials are working hard to keep costs down. Voters should renew both levies to help keep the township's road smooth and its residents safe.