The second in a series of three public hearings for the proposed Fire Protection Territory in Knox and a proposed Fire Protection Territory in Hamlet is scheduled for tonight.
The public hearing in Knox is at 6 p.m. CT tonight at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox and the public hearing in Hamlet is at 7:30 p.m. CT tonight at the Community Center in Hamlet.
The formation of a Fire Protection Territory would involve a tax increase to City of Knox and Center Township taxpayers based on net assessed valuation of property in order to gather more funds to operate the fire department, including the salary of a full-time fire chief and three part-time firefighters, operating costs, maintenance, testing, and minor equipment purchases.
Hamlet-Davis Township Fire Department Captain Aaron Anderson said the money generated from the new tax from Town of Hamlet and Davis Township taxpayers would help the fire department afford insurance, fuel, utilities, new gear, equipment replacement, and do things that should be done annually, like testing, that cannot currently be done due to budget constraints.
More information will be provided to taxpayers tonight by Tippecanoe Township Trustee Bill Jones from Tippecanoe County who was instrumental in the formation of the first Fire Protection Territories in the state. Fire Department officials will also provide information to those in attendance at the separate meetings.
No decisions are anticipated tonight, but a third public hearing for each entity will be held in March where a decision will be made following that hearing in a scheduled public meeting.
