The Village Council of North Bend held a meeting on January 27, 2025, to address ongoing discussions regarding fire and emergency medical services (EMS) with Miami Township. The meeting began with a review of a recent letter sent to residents of Miami Township, which indicated that the mayors and councils of North Bend, Cleves, and Addison had not agreed to continue these essential services.

Council members clarified that they had indeed voted to renew the fire and EMS levy in November 2024 and had signed a three-month extension due to the expiration of their previous agreement with Miami Township at the end of 2024. Significant changes proposed by Miami Township to the agreement prompted the extension, allowing time for further negotiations.

During the meeting, it was reported that representatives from all three villages had met with Miami Township officials to discuss the new contract terms. However, the discussions were halted as the villages sought to evaluate their options moving forward. The council highlighted that Miami Township's failed levy, combined with the new levy proposal, would result in an increased financial burden on the villages, particularly North Bend, which has the lowest number of service runs but pays a disproportionately high amount for fire and EMS services.

The council provided specific figures: North Bend accounts for 8.3% of the service runs but pays $189,000, while Addison, with 10.3% of the runs, pays only $40,000. Cleves, which has 22% of the runs, pays $252,000. This disparity raised concerns among council members about the fairness of the cost distribution, especially given that North Bend would face a 46% increase in costs under the new terms.

The council emphasized their commitment to continuing discussions with Miami Township to find a resolution that would ensure fair and sustainable fire and EMS services for all villages involved. They reassured residents that they were actively working to address the situation and that no final decisions had been made regarding the discontinuation of services. The meeting concluded with a commitment to keep the community informed as negotiations progress.