BY ALLEN HOWARD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEER PARK - Two years of planning for a joint fire district between Deer Park and Silverton may end tonight - with no joint district.
Deer Park City Council has scheduled a vote on a motion to get out of the deal after Deer Park voters rejected the plan 1,106 votes to 998.
The proposal passed overall in the two cities Nov. 3 by a total vote of 2,202 to 1,778. Silverton residents approved it.
Rejection of the plan in Deer Park left officials in both cities wondering what to do next to prepare for financing their separate fire departments if Deer Park council members decide to follow the voters' mandate.
Officials in both cities have considered putting the issue back on the ballot in May.
Although putting it before Deer Park voters that soon is not something council members want, it could fit into plans both cities have for buying a building to house the district.
A three-way agreement among Silverton, Deer Park and a joint fire board provides for the purchase of a building at 7050 Blue Ash Road in Silverton for the fire district headquarters. Options on that building do not expire until June.
Each of the three entities would be required to pay $450,000 to pay off a loan of $1.3 million to purchase and renovate the building. If Deer Park opts out tonight and does not want on the May ballot, each city would have to revert to existing levies to finance their fire departments.
Silverton has a 2.2-mill levy that was passed in 1991.
"We would probably have to go before the voters and ask for a renewal of that levy or put on a replacement levy," said Councilman Michael Hagen, chairman of Silverton's Finance Committee.
Mr. Hagen thinks Deer Park should abide by the spirit of a resolution that provided for putting a 6.5-levy on the November ballot to finance the joint district, even though he suggested the clause that gives Deer Park the option to get out of the deal.
The clause states that if the levy failed in one city, even though it passed overall, the city had the option to get out of the deal. "When I put that in, I was thinking about in case it failed in Silverton. I thought there was more opposition to the levy in Silverton than in Deer Park," Mr. Hagen said.
Mr. Hagen said council will have to consider the levy, a transfer of funds, plus what the city makes on billing for ambulance services and contracts with Columbia Township and Golf Manor to provide fire services.
Councilman Michael Morthorst, Silverton's Law Committee chairman, said he thinks the resolution may be binding to keep Deer Park in the deal.
"It it isn't, our new charter, passed in November, gives us the authority to put on a fire levy in the May primary," Mr. Morthorst said.
Deer Park Councilwoman Sandra Hall-Rymer said putting the levy on the May ballot did not appear favorable in discussions among council members.
"I think the general idea was, let's do it now or forget it," she said.
