The Knox City Council members failed to pass the proposed Fire Protection Territory during their meeting Tuesday night.
Mayor Dennis Estok explained that the three required public hearings were held to explain the function of the Fire Protection Territory and now it was time for the Knox City Council to vote.
During those public hearings, Knox-Center Township Fire Chief Kenny Pfost explained the needs of the fire department, while Tippecanoe Township Trustee Bill Jones from Tippecanoe Township explained the impact of a proposed tax increase to City of Knox and Center Township property taxpayers in order to gather revenue to address the needs of the fire department.
City Council President Jeff V. Berg made the motion to proceed with the formation of the Fire Protection Territory, but it died for a lack of a second. As a result, the Knox Fire Protection Territory failed as it had to have a favorable majority vote by the council in order to move it to the Center Township Advisory Board for a vote.
Center Township Trustee Julie Manns and Bill Jones confirmed that the Center Township Advisory Board would not need to meet for a vote tonight.
Meanwhile, the Davis Township Advisory Board members did vote in favor of the Hamlet Fire Territory that would benefit the Hamlet-Davis Township Fire Department. Board members Becky Ferch and Becky Plfugshaupt voted in favor of the measure. Bobby Ferch was not present to vote. It passed with the favorable majority vote. The vote will now go to the Hamlet Town Council members tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Hamlet Town Hall.
