Ep. 37 — Clermont County Ballot Rundown and CJFED Levy with Chief Roy Short

We start with a brief refresher on mills and levy types, then walk through every countywide and major local ballot issue, from CPS and the Mental Health & Recovery Board to New Richmond’s earned-income tax, Milford’s charter revisions, and the Batavia Township zoning referendum and PD initiative.

In the second half, CJFED Fire Chief Roy Short explains the district’s 4.9-mill Fire/EMS levy, why response times on the west side top 10 minutes, how calls grew from 3,720 (2010) to 6,362 (2024), and what the levy would fund (staffing, a new station, aging apparatus). He also shares practical home-safety tips: smoke alarms, closed bedroom doors, escape plans, second-story ladders, and kitchen extinguishers.

Ballot quick hits

• CPS: renewal +0.2 mill (about $23 per $100K AV, 5 years)
• Mental Health & Recovery: renewal only (~$15 per $100K AV, 5 years)
• New Richmond Schools: 1.25% earned-income tax (continuing)
• Milford: City Charter revisions (full redline in show notes)
• Batavia Twp: Farmstead PD referendum; separate citizen PD removal initiative
• CJFED (Village + Township): new 4.9-mill Fire/EMS levy (continuing)
• Ohio Twp: new 1.5 mills Fire/EMS
• Pierce Twp: new 2.8 mills Police
• Wayne Twp: replacement EMS (1.0) & Fire (2.5); electric aggregation (opt-out)
• Local options: Sunday alcohol sales at specified addresses

Also in this episode

• News brief: carfentanil warnings; Redwood’s new single-story apartments; two Batavia Twp development hearings

Links in show notes

Example ballots for every locality
https://www.clermontauditor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Sample-Ballot-ALL-Precincts.pdf

Milford charter redline
https://cms6.revize.com/revize/milfordoh/document_center/Milford%20Charter%20Revisions(53449236.1).pdf
side-by-side spreadsheet

Milford Charter Side-By-Side Comparison
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EOO_dPhnlrU_kdzO9zXIO7xZ5BkHw99e/edit?gid=1091401509#gid=1091401509

Episode 32 - CPS Levy
https://www.letstalkclermont.com/episodepage/episode-31--dotty-meier-anne-gross--child-protective-services-levy

Episode 35 - Mental Health and Recovery Board Levy
https://www.letstalkclermont.com/episodepage/episode-35--dr-lee-ann-watson--mental-health-and-recovery-board-levy

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