Township supervisors and chiefs urge Jackson County to let voters decide on radio surcharge

A steady stream of township supervisors, chiefs and residents urged Jackson County commissioners to put a proposed 9-1-1 device surcharge on the ballot so county voters can decide how to finance replacement of 800 MHz radios.

Jeffrey Heath, Hanover Township supervisor and a long-time paid-on-call firefighter, told the board: "So I respectfully ask you to put something on the ballot." Several other supervisors — from Concord, Parma, Columbia and Norville townships — and fire and police chiefs said a countywide option would ensure interoperability and spread costs across users, not just property owners.

Columbia Township police chief Jay Niles said revenue shortfalls and rising costs have made local saving difficult and framed the question as an opportunity for the board to empower residents. "We're not asking the commission to foot the bill for this. We're just asking the commission, let the voters speak," he said.

Fire chiefs and other first-responder leaders warned a patchwork of different radios purchased by individual jurisdictions could hamper mutual aid and complicate responses during emergencies. "If we have a hodgepodge of radios, are is that gonna be a problem?" Tim McEldowney, chairman of the Jackson County Fire Chiefs, asked the board, urging county-level coordination.