Madison Township voters in Franklin County will decide on November 3 whether to approve separate police and fire levies that township chiefs say are necessary to sustain current service levels as operating costs climb and emergency calls keep increasing.
The fire question, Issue 42 on the township ballot, is an additional continuing levy of 4.89 mills for fire protection and emergency medical services, along with maintenance of fire apparatus, rescue equipment, buildings and sites. If approved, it would cost property owners $171 per $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value and raise an estimated $6.8 million a year.
The police question, Issue 43, is a separate additional continuing levy of 1.99 mills, costing $70 per $100,000 of market value and collecting an estimated $2,784,510 a year, according to the Franklin County Board of Elections’ notice of election. Together, the two levies total 6.88 mills, or $241 per $100,000 of value.
Fire Chief Derek Robinson said the department operates three fire stations with 64 full-time personnel and is fully staffed, but responded to more than 11,300 calls in 2025 and just over 8,400 calls through the end of September this year, with call volume rising 4 to 5 percent annually. The last fire levy passed in 2015, at 2.56 mills, and revenue has been basically flat since.
"This new levy would not be providing any more staffing or stations. It would just be to keep operations where they are now," Robinson said. He added that if the fire levy fails there will be no station closures, but the department will have to take hard looks at staffing and personnel.
Police Chief Victor Boyd said his department has 18 full-time sworn officers, four short of the level needed, and must keep a minimum of two officers patrolling the township’s roughly 41 square miles. Police handled more than 8,200 calls in 2025. Boyd said neighboring agencies typically pay officers $30,000 to $35,000 more a year than Madison Township, where officers top out at about $95,000, and equipment costs have doubled or nearly doubled since the last police levy passed in 2011.
Early in-person voting is underway at the Franklin County Board of Elections and ends November 1. Absentee ballots must be requested by 8:30 p.m. on October 27 and returned by 7:30 p.m. on November 3, when polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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