The Starke County Council reviewed a request from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Monday for the Hamlet Fire Well.
A fire well exists in the Hamlet Industrial Park which is typically used by the Hamlet Fire Department to fill the trucks with water, although Councilman Brad Hazelton, who is also the fire chief at the Hamlet-Davis Township Fire Department, said the fire department has not used it in over a year. Inspections are about $1,500 a year for two inspections, but REMC has a large monthly charge and there are charges from other companies that are apparently using the fire well for water.
Hazelton commented that the fire well was used three times at a cost of $6,000 in 2020.
Council President Dave Pearman believes REMC and CenturyLink costs are too high and asked to approve half of the $15,000 request in order to do more research into those costs. The council did approve half of the cost with a unanimous vote.
