MORRIS TOWNSHIP — Residents in the southern half of Morris Township will vote in May on a replacement levy that, if passed, would allow the township to fulfill its contract with the City of Mount Vernon for fire and emergency medical services for the next three years.
The township, located between Mount Vernon and Fredericktown in northwestern Knox County, contracts with three different agencies for fire and EMS services.
Residents in the southern half of the township are serviced by the Mount Vernon Fire Department. Meanwhile, residents in the northern half are serviced by the Fredericktown Community Fire District and the Fredericktown Community Joint Emergency Ambulance District.
Morris Township has contracted with the MVFD for roughly two decades, Trustee Dan Humphrey said. The township’s contract with the MVFD expires every three years.
Voters in the southern half of the township last passed a replacement levy for fire and EMS services in 2017, according to Fiscal Officer Diana Clippinger (replacement levies generally lead to an increase in taxes as they take into account present-day property values). They passed a renewal levy in 2020.
Now, the township is asking voters to approve a replacement levy on the May 2 primary ballot, anticipating another increase in service fees.
The levy would remain at 4 mills, but it would cost taxpayers $140 per $100,000 in property value annually, up from the current rate of $121 per year, a $19 increase according to figures from the Knox County Auditor’s Office.
“Representatives from the City of Mount Vernon indicated to expect an increase with the next contract (2023-2025),” the Morris Township trustees said in a statement. “The replacement levy on the May ballot will fund the next contract.”
The replacement levy would generate roughly $146,000 per year, Knox County Deputy Auditor Sarah Thorne said.
While it’s unclear how much service fees will increase, the trustees said they wanted to put a replacement levy on the ballot to ensure the township will be able to fulfill its contract with the city moving forward.
“Representatives from the City had not been able to attend a Township meeting before this levy needed to be filed,” the trustees stated. “(We) decided to run the levy as a replacement levy based on the fact there has been no increase to the levy since 2017 and the City’s representative indicating to expect an increase.
“By running it as a replacement levy, additional funds will be generated without adding additional millage.”
