WINFIELD, W.Va. — Despite receiving the majority of the vote Tuesday night, the Putnam County public safety levy failed to pass.
The levy received 52% of the vote in the General Election. Richard Pullin, the Fire Administrator for Putnam County Fire Service Board told 580-WCHS in Charleston that state code says an excess levy must reach at least 60% to be considered passed.
The final vote total, according to Putnam election officials, was 8,550 for and 7,748 against.
The levy would have helped with payroll and expenses, operating costs and hiring more firefighters.
“We’ll continue to try and find alternative means of funding to help get more firefighters out there on the scene. We are struggling right now with volunteers during the daytime,” Pullin said.
The levy would have replaced the county’s longtime fire service fee, which is based on the square footage of a property and hasn’t been increased in a decade.
Pullin previously told 580-WCHS that the current system of funding fire departments and EMS is unsustainable.
Pullin expects the levy to be back on the ballot in 2024. He said it needs to be based on hiring firefighters because in some cases, trucks have only one to two people on them.
“We are definitely having the impact of reduction of volunteers. It’s across the country, it’s not just Putnam County or West Virginia.”