The Starke County Commissioners and Starke County Council members last week addressed an excess in charges for use of the county’s firewell in Hamlet.
A firewell exists in the Hamlet Industrial Park which is typically used by the Hamlet Fire Department to fill the trucks with water. There is typically a $300 REMC charge a month to keep the firewell in service which is a maximum risk rate. As of late, the monthly bill has been about $1,000. The county only has $15,000 budgeted in the regular County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) fund for the firewell.
However, Council President Dave Pearman said a recent bill for the firewell jumped considerably which was a concern of officials in January so the claim was tabled for more information. Pearman explained last week that Norton Packaging hired a firm to do some construction work and the firm used the firewell. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Larry Wickert gave permission to the company to use the firewell. The bill received was for about $4,278.
The firm has apparently agreed to pay $2,000 of that cost. Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem thought the rest of the overage should be paid by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation as they gave permission to use the firewell. She stressed that only the Starke County Commissioners can give permission to use the firewell outside of the Hamlet Fire Department.
Ron Gifford from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation said he would take that information back to Wickert where more discussion will be held concerning the overage the bill.
As for an explanation on why the bills are now about $1,000 a month, more information will be gathered on the use of the firewell before county officials will agree to pay the bill. It was tabled for further discussion in a future meeting.
