The levy, if passed, would cost the owner of a $100,000 home less than $175 a year, and the owner of a $200,000 home less than $350 a year, City Manager Jonathan Westendorf said.
“We as a community need to set them up for success, the fire department,” said Councilman Matt Wilcher.
The next step is for the Warren County Auditor’s Office to certify the resolution before the council can make a final vote.
The last tax levy ask was in 2012. The city promised not to come back to voters for 10 years, and now it’s been 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and school levy issues.
The timing now is important, Westendorf said.
The average age of the fire division’s fleet is 22 years, and that comes with rising maintenance costs, including $176,000 in emergency repairs. Also, the department has a staffing shortage and a grant is expiring at the end of 2026 that helps pay for personnel.
The Franklin Fire Division last year responded to 669 fire calls and 2,182 EMS calls for a total of 2,851 incidents.
Earlier this month, Fire Chief Daniel Stitzel hosted three town hall sessions, which lasted two to three hours each. Although they were not well attended, Westendorf told council members that residents were engaged. They asked a lot of questions, provided feedback and some stayed for a tour of the fire house and to look at equipment, he said.
“The intent was to sit down and have a dialogue,” Westendorf said.
Mayor Brent Centers, who said he attended all three town halls, called Stitzel’s presentations “captivating” and said residents showed support for a levy request once learning about the fire division’s needs and finances.
“Nobody showed up to say this isn’t palatable right now,” he said.
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