LADOGA — Ladoga Fire Department hosted a meeting last week to determine interest in forming a fire territory.
A fire territory is a type of fire service consolidation permitted by Indiana law. It is established by two or more taxing units that share boundaries (townships/municipalities/fire districts) and provides additional funding for departments.
The primary advantage of a fire territory is additional operating money for departments. Equipment, training and recurring costs are increasing.
Paige E. Sansone, a certified public account with Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, spoke to the group of about 20 people representing town boards as well as Ladoga, Walnut Township and Waveland fire departments. Establishing a fire territory is a way to provide additional monies by spreading the cost of services over a wider tax base, Sansone said. It also can improve firefighter safety by providing resources for daily minimum staffing.
Establishing a fire territory would not change the operations of individual departments.
The city of Brownsburg was the first in Indiana to establish a fire territory and there are several in the state, including Vernon Township in Hancock County which increased its revenue by 488%; Clarksville which increased its revenue by 109%; and Pendleton which increased its revenue by 921%.
Amy Cating, Clark Township Trustee, said Ladoga and Clark Township are in favor of creating a fire territory.
