Lawrence Countians will make decisions about fire protection, basic services and education when they go to the polls Tuesday.

Three fire levies are on the ballot- one a renewal levy and two new ones. Another levy on the ballot will continue funding for the Collins Career Center. South Point voters will decide whether to continue an operating expenses levy.

Rome Township voters will decide whether to continue a 1-mil fire levy that was enacted five years ago. The 1-mil amounts to 10 cents on every $100 of property value. If passed, the levy will last for another five years, commencing in 2003 and first due in 2004.

Rome Township Clerk Maxine Jenkins said the levy brings in approximately $75,000 annually. Rome Township Assistant Fire Chief Tate Tooley said from the levy has been used to purchase new fire trucks and install new fire hydrants.

"This levy is important if we are going to be proactive as opposed to reactive," Tooley said. "If we are going to continue to provide the level of service we have been, this levy is important."

Tooley said the township has been able to get a lower Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating and individual homeowners have been able to get lower insurance premiums because of the improved fire equipment.

Windsor Township and Elizabeth Township voters will decide whether they want to implement a fire levy.

Windsor Township Fire Chief Donnie Christian said the levy in his township would bring in an estimated $10,000 a year, doubling the current budget.

"$20,000 a year would still be a tight budget, but it's better than what we have now," Christian said. "This levy is very important. Right now, we don't have hardly any resources at all."

Christian said the money would be used to buy equipment that needs to be replaced.

"New trucks costs anywhere from $100,000-$120,000 - just for the no-frills model and we just don't have that kind of money."

Christian said the levy is essential.

"We need this equipment to protect peoples' lives and property. It's not a good thing to come out on a fire and one of the vehicles fails me," Christian said.

If passed, the Elizabeth and Windsor township levies will raise taxes by 10 cents of every $100 of property value. They would commence in 2003 and first be

due in 2004.

The Joint Vocational School System levy was first enacted in 1993 to pay for permanent campus improvements. Collins Career Center Superintendent Steve Dodgion said the levy brings in an estimated $270,000 yearly.

"We've been able to upgrade our buildings largely due to money we've accumulated through this levy," Dodgion said. "We're counting on this renewal for the next two years. We've gone to the academy concept in offering classes and this requires the movement of classrooms, grouping classes together to provide a better education for the students. The academy concept has met with tremendous success in other areas of the state."

Students get training in several areas under the concept, such as electricity, heating and air conditioning and plumbing.

"We put three academies in place last year: health science, information technology and public safety. We hope to create four more next year: wheels, which involves the automotive industry; services, such as cosmetology and food services; agriculture; and construction."

Dodgion said he also hopes to continue developing joint partnerships for satellite programs at the public schools, such as the health tech prep class in which Ironton and Dawson-Bryant students are now enrolled. Right now, Collins Career Center has satellite programs in the western end of the county. Plans are to develop some in the school districts in the eastern end of the county.

In the village of South Point, the current operating expense levy will be on the ballot. This 3-mil levy is a renewal, meaning that tax rates will stay the same. Three mils amounts to 30 cents for each $100 of property value. If passed, the levy will last for five years, starting in 2004, first due in 2005.

Village officials said the levy provides for approximately 25 percent of the total general fund revenue.

"If we can't get this passed, we'll be in bad shape," Mayor Bill Gaskin said. "It'll be a disaster for us. We're leaving it up to the people to do something with it."