County funds fire department radios

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HANCOCK COUNTY — Hancock County Council members are urging volunteer fire departments and township trustees in the county to push for tax levy increases that could fund public safety upgrades.

The county council voiced its concern about the lack of public safety dollars at the Aug. 8 meeting. They approved the expenditure of about $45,000 from the county’s food and beverage fund to the Shirley and Green Township volunteer fire departments for the purchase of 800 MHz radios.

Councilman Jim Shelby said the county doesn’t have much money left in its Local Option Income Tax (LOIT) fund, which is earmarked for public safety costs. The council instead chose to pay for the 10 radios from the food and beverage fund. Shirley will purchase six radios at a cost of $25,556 and Green Township will spend $5,000 apiece for four radios. Shirley also received $4,000 for hose testing.

Once a year, fire departments that cover county townships not located within incorporated towns can put in an application with the county council for LOIT funds, according to state law. This year, of the six Hancock County volunteer fire departments, only Shirley and Green Township turned in their applications on or before the July 1 deadline. The town of Shirley’s department also covers a part of Brown Township.

John Jokantas, Hancock County emergency operations director, said during last week’s meeting that he pushed for all of the volunteer departments to turn in applications to the council. McCordsville Volunteer Fire Department submitted a request after July 1, county officials said.

Shirley and Green Township both applied for truck-mounted 800 MHz radios. Andy Ebbert, Shirley’s fire chief, said county fire departments in 2015 received a federal grant to replace outdated low-band frequency handheld radios to 800 MHz radios, a much higher frequency that can span a greater distance.

Ebbert said while the handheld radios have improved communications with county agencies, they’ve been difficult to use in vehicles. He’s recalled having to hold the handheld to his face in order to hear it in a truck. Bob Holland, the fire chief for Green Township, said firefighters commonly have to put handhelds in a cup holder while driving.

The new radios will be mounted inside the vehicles and wired into headsets. The radio antennas can also pick up a wider range. Ebbert said the truck-mounted radios should last 15 to 20 years.

Shelby said as more equipment upgrades are needed for volunteer fire departments, the county cannot afford to do “one-time fixes.” Instead, he recommended that townships should increase their tax levies to finance the public safety improvements over time.

The problem, however, is that most county townships are at their maximum levies due to tax caps, Ebbert said. Much of the eastern part of the county hasn’t had much growth to the tax base.

The council council collectively agreed that the fire department heads should work with their township trustees to push for legislation from local lawmakers to raise township tax levies for public safety costs. The lawmakers a few years ago successfully increased the township levy for EMS funds.