Newport Township fire district voters back $3.5 million borrowing plan

Three Newport Township Fire Protection District firefighters who officials said would lose their jobs if voters rejected a $3.5 million referendum Tuesday can rest easy.

Voters in the Wadsworth-based district approved plans to borrow the money to purchase emergency vehicles, improve and equip the district's two stations and pay down debt, according to unofficial results from Tuesday's election.

About 63 percent of voters supported the proposed the bond issue, which will cost the owner of a house valued at $200,000 about $74 more in property taxes in the first year.

Officials said layoffs and service cuts would have resulted if the proposal had been defeated.

Newport Township Fire Protection District provides fire and ambulance service to the majority of Newport Township, including the villages of Old Mill Creek, Wadsworth and the western portion of Beach Park.