With no citizens seeking to address the Galion City Council during its July 11 meeting, council members approved minutes from prior gatherings before discussing various pieces of legislation.
Resolution No. 2023-9, appointing Second Ward council member Melissa Frank for the CRA Housing Council to replace Richard Ivy, passed 5-0, with Frank abstaining and member-at-large Paula Durbin absent. The term lasts until the end of 2025.
Two ordinances that were introduced during a special July 10 Police, Fire and Health Committee meeting, affecting local communities, then received a first reading. One is for a contract with Jefferson Township and the other with the Village of Crestline.
Ordinance No. 2023-52 states that Jefferson Township is in need of EMS services for the times when it lacks manpower to cover an EMS-related situation. As a valued neighbor, Galion can provide mutual aid in those few occasions. Members passed the motion unanimously.
“They aspire, with support of their township taxpayers, to replace private ambulance service and grow into a more 24-7 operation,” Mayor Tom O’Leary explained. “I think it makes sense and is a good move. It’s a step-by-step approach to assisting other jurisdictions.”
The mayor also said at the Police, Fire and Health Committee meeting that while there’s money for equipment available, the challenge remains in operations and finding enough people to work in the current labor market.
Jefferson Township lies north of Galion and is home to about 1,500 people.
As for Crestline and Ordinance No. 2023-53, the village has major staffing shortages and necessitates fire and EMS services for its community. Crestline thus approached Galion for assistance and will reimburse the city for the costs, based on personnel needs.
Galion Fire Department Lt. Jay Gaffney told council members that the supplement will not affect or decrease service in Galion or Polk Township, and relaying information from Fire Chief Phil Jackson, no Galion taxpayer will subsidize Crestline responses. He hopes it will be a short-term arrangement.
“They are in dire need right now of personnel,” Gaffney said of Crestline. “We are able to help them out. We need to make sure that we are not taking from ours to give to them, so they said they’ll cover those costs.”
O’Leary said Galion is being a good neighbor, when needed. Other council members agreed that “it’s the right thing to do,” and the ordinance passed 6-0.
A.J. Kaufman is a correspondent for the Galion Inquirer.
