The second in a series of three public hearings for the proposed Fire Protection Territory in Knox is scheduled for Monday, February 28 at 6 p.m. CT at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox.
A previous published story had the wrong date. We apologize for the confusion.
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, minor equipment purchases.
Tippecanoe Township Trustee Bill Jones from Tippecanoe County said the taxpayers in the City of Knox would see a 3 percent increase in property taxes and Center Township taxpayers outside of the city would see a 7.3 percent increase in property taxes. That would fund a proposed fire department budget from a current budget of $134,500 to $325,000.
A third public hearing is set for Tuesday, March 6 at 6 p.m. CT at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center. Following that hearing, two members of the Center Township Advisory Board will vote on the possible establishment of the Fire Protection Territory. The third Advisory Board member cannot vote as he is a firefighter. The Knox City Council will need to vote as well. If it passes, the territory will be formed.
The second public hearing in Hamlet for a proposed Fire Protection Territory is Monday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. CT at the Community Center in Hamlet.
Hamlet-Davis Township Fire Department Captain Aaron Anderson said the money generated from the new tax 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.
Jones said the taxpayers in the Town of Hamlet would see a 3 percent increase in property taxes and Davis Township taxpayers outside of the Town of Hamlet would see a 6.2 percent increase in property taxes. Those funds would increase the fire department budget from $59,000 to $99,000.
A third public hearing is set for Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. CT at the Community Center in Hamlet. Following that hearing, members of the Davis Township Advisory Board will vote on the possible establishment of the Fire Protection Territory. The Hamlet Town Council will need to vote as well. If it passes, the territory will be formed.
