Residents to vote on EMS tax levy hike at Oct. 30 meeting

The Town of Fredonia will ask residents to approve a $100,000 tax levy increase at an elector meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, Town Clerk Christophe Jenkins said.

The increase would fund the town’s portion of the paramedic program that services the towns and villages of Fredonia and Belgium.

With the revenue from the tax hike, Fredonia Fire Chief Brian Weyker hopes to equip the fire department with a full-time paramedic staff available to provide 24/7 service.

Earlier this year, he said, the levy increase is needed to address declining volunteer EMT numbers alongside increased ambulance calls.

“We’ve been using volunteers for all these years and it’s been free. But we don’t have the volunteers now,” he said. “You wouldn’t go to a job for free, but we expect a service this important to be done for free or little pay.”

The funding formula uses the population of each municipality, call volume and equalized value to determine each community’s share of the cost. The Town of Fredonia is responsible for 23.21% of the expenses.

The town’s obligation is being paid this year by American Rescue Plan Act funds through an Ozaukee County grant that will also cover a portion of next year’s expenses, he said.

Because the Town of Fredonia has fewer than 3,000 residents, it can hold an electors meeting instead of a referendum.

The Town of Belgium will also hold an electors meeting.