By Wayne Gates
The Georgetown Village Council is considering moving to a 24 hour paid EMS service. Village Administrator Art Owens proposed a 10 mill fire and safety levy to council at its June 14 meeting. If approved, the levy would raise $563,900 per year and result in 24 hour staffing of the fire department with paid EMS crews. They would be supplemented with volunteer personnel. Council would have to approve placing the levy on the November ballot. The proposed levy would cancel out the current 2.4 mill levy, making the total increase 7.6 mills. A ten mill levy in Georgetown would cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $350.00 per year. “Are we willing to gamble with our lives or our families’ lives?”, Owens asked council while discussing the proposal. The subject is expected to be discussed again at the June 28 village council meeting. Further details are available in the June 21 News Democrat, currently on sale.