lharris@heraldstaronline.com
STEUBENVILLE – Members of City Council will consider emergency legislation at its Jan. 19 meeting that would give Steubenville Fire Chief Carlo Capaldi the power to hire three more firefighters, enough to run a second ambulance.
Capaldi told council he needs the additional personnel to relieve the strain on his department: They’ve been averaging nine to 10 calls a day with one ambulance, he said, pointing out that’s without adding any additional personnel.
He said it could take up to six months for the revenue to really start to roll in, but they’ve already banked about $46,000.
“The problem we’re having now is we can’t wait six months for more people,” Capaldi said. “We projected generating $715,000 in EMS revenue that (would) pay for six people to work on ambulances, but we didn’t hire those people right away because we didn’t have a track record to be sure the money would come in at that (precise) moment.”
Staff writer
STEUBENVILLE City Council finalized its 2021 budget during a special meeting Monday, a spending plan predicated on voters renewing a pair of existing levies.
The renewals a 0.7 of one percent levy earmarked for street improvements, capital improvements and equipment, parks and recreation and the general fund, and a 0.3 of one percent tax used for salaries and street improvements will be on the May 4 election ballot.
Subject to voter approval, the renewal levies would bring in about $7 million a year for five years.
“The main item needed for the city in 2021 is the renewal of (the two levies),” Finance Director Dave Lewis said. “The city will also be applying for a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant to help with EMS coverage in the city. The SAFER grant will help cover the cost of three existing firefighters/EMS employees and pay for six additional firefighters/EMS employees.”
Staff writer
STEUBENVILLE The city’s new Emergency Medical Service passed a milestone Friday responding to its 600th call, just two months and one day after it opened for business.
That’s a lot more than they anticipated being able to handle, particularly since the city has only one ambulance running at the moment.
“We’re very pleased with how we’ve been able to get up and running in such a short time,” Steubenville fire Chief Carlo Capaldi said. “I’m really happy with our guys and how they’re performing. The fact that we’re handling 10 calls a day with just one ambulance is a feat technically, we’d planned on handling 10 a day with two ambulances, and we’re doing that now with just one.”
LINDA HARRIS Staff writer
STEUBENVILLE City Council voted Tuesday to ask voters to renew two existing levies that they say keep Steubenville running efficiently.
The two levies a 0.7 of one percent levy earmarked for street improvements, capital improvements and equipment, parks and recreation and the general fund, and a 0.3 of one percent tax used for salaries and street improvements will be on the May 4 election ballot. If the referendums are approved, the two levies would bring in a total of about $7 million a year for the next five years.
“The levies are not going up,” City Finance Director Dave Lewis said. “Council passed legislation to renew the existing levies for a five-year period. Revenue is projected to be about the same, but may vary slightly.”