Delphi/townships approve fire protection territory

By Debbie Lowe

Staff writer

   It was no surprise when all participating parties approved the formation of a fire protection territory for Delphi and Tippecanoe, Madison and Deer Creek townships at a special Tuesday night meeting at the Stone Barn. Three Delphi City Council members and the township advisory boards unanimously approved all the necessary legal documents to pave the way to adoption of the first such territory formed in Carroll County. City council members Dan Sterrett and Nelson Smith were not present. Ten firefighters from the Delphi Tri-Township Volunteer Fire Department, in a show of force, drove three fire trucks to the meeting and parked them along the street next to the Stone Barn.

Delphi Mayor Randy Strasser explained the agreement between the city and the townships to establish the new entity. Certified Public Accountant Buzz Krohn from O.M. Krohn and Associates and John Greg from the Bingham and McHale law firm in Indianapolis provided supportive information and documentation for the explanation and formation of the new taxing entity.

Strasser said the proposed agreement was further discussed with council members, township trustees, their advisory board members and firefighters since the Feb. 5 public education meeting.

Questions from township leaders about advisory board composition and replacement and decision-making powers were directed to Strasser. Deer Creek Township Trustee Neda K. Duff persisted in questions about advisory board powers.

“Why can’t it be stated in the agreement that “the ‘provider unit’ and the advisory board shall do the following: (rather than stating only the ‘provider unit’ shall as per the agreement),” she asked. “Right now we control the funds. We do not want to give up total control.”

Strasser explained the agreement stipulated the advisory board, which includes the township trustees, would have input on all territory decisions. He said the advisory board would have “just as much” decision-making power as the provider unit. Duff noted that although a good working relationship existed between the townships and the current city administration that might not always be the case.

“Can’t you add, ‘along with the advisory board’ shall do the following?” she persisted.

Attorney Kurtis Fouts told Duff the advisory board would have an “arching supervisory ability” in the territory administration.

No wording in the agreement was changed. The approved agreement states, in short, “The City, as the Provider Unit, shall do the following:” and lists duties such as establish and maintain a Delphi Fire Protection Territory Fund, an equipment replacement fund, budget necessary money to meet the expenses of operation, establish the uniform tax levy required to fund the budget, have authority to effect transfers to the fund from sources available to the Provider Unit, receive and deposit all sums payable to or on behalf of the Territory, provide administration of all employee payroll and benefits related to the operation of the Territory, submit an annual report, maintain a fire department, administrate and operate the fire department, including hiring, supervising, staffing, scheduling, disciplining employees and volunteers, establish safety rules and procedures for employees, set the number of positions in the department and job descriptions and appoint a Chief.

In section nine of the agreement, the advisory board is defined as: “The Territory shall have an Advisory Board consisting of the executive of each participating unit. All meetings of the Advisory Board shall comply with provisions of the open door law in Indiana. The Advisory Board shall have the authority to review the budget and advise the Provider Unit on all fiscal matters, contracts, hiring, disciplinary matters and all other decisions necessary to be made in the normal course of operating the Territory.”

*For a complete list of duties and/or to view the agreement, contact Strasser at (765) 564-2097 or 564-3039.

Township Leaders

Deer Creek Township:

Trustee: Neda K. Duff – (765) 564-6482; Advisory board members – Melissa Darling (564-2530), Sherry Mears (564-3162) and Mary Clifford (564-3789).

Madison Township:

Trustee: Dwaine Ward (765) 268-2302; Advisory board – Dee Humbarger 564-4678   and Neal E. Anderson (574) 268-2777.

Tippecanoe Township:

Trustee: Joann Vianco (765) 564-4221; Advisory board – Dan Gottschalk 564-3929   Marcia Jura 564-6535 and Ralph Hughes 564-8187.