Worthington Approves Fire Pact for Perry Township Project, Triggering Overhaul of 1999 Agreement
Council authorizes coverage for the Cottages at Brookside and sets a 180-day deadline to renegotiate township-wide emergency services.
Worthington City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 21, 2026, to approve Resolution No. 57-2026, authorizing City Manager Robyn Stewart to enter into an emergency services contract with Perry Township for an unincorporated residential development while setting the stage for a comprehensive renegotiation of their long-standing fire protection partnership.
The agreement authorizes Worthington's Division of Fire to provide fire suppression and emergency medical services to the Cottages at Brookside, an under-construction 22-unit condominium project on Franklin County Auditor Parcel No. 213-000570-00. Under the contract, the municipality will extend emergency services through Sept. 30, 2027, with the option to renew for an additional six months by mutual consent.
Brookside Terms and Operational Standards
In exchange for emergency coverage, Perry Township will transfer to Worthington 100% of the property tax revenues generated by the parcel from four continuing township fire operating levies, which carry a combined rate of 7.5 mills. Funds collected between Jan. 1 and June 1 will be disbursed to the city by June 30, while receipts collected between June 2 and Dec. 31 are due by Jan. 31 of each year.
The contract establishes enforceable operational standards for coverage in the unincorporated development. Emergency responses must meet the standard of being "fully manned," defined under the agreement as requiring a minimum of three firefighters on fire companies and one paramedic on emergency medical transports. The pact also charges the Worthington fire chief with fire inspection, prevention, and investigation duties across the parcel.
The development is moving forward under a pre-existing annexation agreement between Perry Township and the City of Columbus, which permits residential projects to receive water and sewer utilities without requiring annexation into Columbus. That arrangement left emergency services for the township parcel to be negotiated independently.
Triggering a 1999 Master Agreement Overhaul
Beyond the immediate 22-unit development, Section V of the contract establishes a formal mechanism to renegotiate how Worthington provides emergency safety services across unincorporated Perry Township. Worthington has provided fire and emergency medical coverage to approximately 80% of Perry Township since executing an original joint contract in December 1999.
City officials noted in council documents that the 1999 master pact had subsequently been amended three times and was due for structural modernization. To address long-term operational and financial demands, Section V legally binds both jurisdictions to meet within 180 days to evaluate service levels and funding structures. Both parties pledged to use good-faith efforts over the following 12 months to replace both the Brookside agreement and the 1999 pact with a unified, modern fire protection and EMS contract.
Suburban Emergency Service Pressures
The Worthington-Perry Township negotiation reflects broader fiscal and operational challenges confronting suburban communities across central Ohio. As pockets of unincorporated township land develop with dense residential complexes supported by regional water and sewer utility extensions, local governments face increasing call volumes and capital costs to maintain Advanced Life Support and structural firefighting standards.
By securing 100% of the township's dedicated fire millage from the Brookside parcel while launching formal talks for an updated master agreement, Worthington leaders seek to align service delivery with the true financial cost of suburban emergency response.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
City Council Post-Meeting Reports · September 21, 2026 · other
Supporting evidence (1)
Worthington City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 21, 2026, to approve Resolution No. 57-2026, authorizing City Manager Robyn Stewart to enter into an emergency services contract with Perry Township for an unincorporated residential development while setting the stage for a comprehensive renegotiation of their long-standing fire protection partnership.
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Council members voted unanimously to approve Resolution No. 57-2026.
City Council Resolutions · Resolution No. 57-2026 · resolution
Supporting evidence (7)
The agreement authorizes Worthington's Division of Fire to provide fire suppression and emergency medical services to the Cottages at Brookside, an under-construction 22-unit condominium project on Franklin County Auditor Parcel No. 213-000570-00.
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Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services Contract with Perry Township for the Cottages at Brookside.
The agreement authorizes Worthington's Division of Fire to provide fire suppression and emergency medical services to the Cottages at Brookside, an under-construction 22-unit condominium project on Franklin County Auditor Parcel No. 213-000570-00.
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residential condominium community consisting of 22 units, currently located on Franklin County Auditor Parcel No. 213-000570-00 (hereinafter "the Cottages"), which has begun development and is under construction.
Under the contract, the municipality will extend emergency services through Sept. 30, 2027, with the option to renew for an additional six months by mutual consent.
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shall terminate at midnight on September 30, 2027.
In exchange for emergency coverage, Perry Township will transfer to Worthington 100% of the property tax revenues generated by the parcel from four continuing township fire operating levies, which carry a combined rate of 7.5 mills.
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Subject to appropriation, the Township agrees to pay the City for all services provided under this Contract to the Cottages, the sum of one hundred percent (100%) of the monies received by the Township from the Cottages during each calendar year from the proceeds of the four (4) specified separate continuing fire operating levies having a combined full rate of 7.5 mills.
Emergency responses must meet the standard of being "fully manned," defined under the agreement as requiring a minimum of three firefighters on fire companies and one paramedic on emergency medical transports.
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(c) Fully manned shall mean a minimum of three (3) firefighters on fire companies
The development is moving forward under a pre-existing annexation agreement between Perry Township and the City of Columbus, which permits residential projects to receive water and sewer utilities without requiring annexation into Columbus.
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WHEREAS, the Township has an annexation agreement with the City of Columbus that allows certain residential developments to receive water and sewer services without annexation;
To address long-term operational and financial demands, Section V legally binds both jurisdictions to meet within 180 days to evaluate service levels and funding structures.
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The City and Township agree to review this Contract and the Amended 1999 Fire Contract, and to meet within the next 180 days to discuss fire protection and medical services, and the funding of such services.
City Council Agendas · September 21, 2026 · agenda
Supporting evidence (2)
Worthington has provided fire and emergency medical coverage to approximately 80% of Perry Township since executing an original joint contract in December 1999.
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The City provides fire and EMS services to approximately 80% of Perry Township under the provisions of a contract first entered into between the City and Township in December 1999.
City officials noted in council documents that the 1999 master pact had subsequently been amended three times and was due for structural modernization.
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City staff believe it is time to review the Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services contract originally entered into in 1999 and subsequently amended three times.