County Council looks to improve fire protection

It was business as usual for the Putnam County Council as it met for its monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, at which it approved the purchase of 16 new Hazardous Material suits as well as working toward a cumulative fire fund for the Walnut Creek Fire Protection District.

Chairman Tom Helmer of the Putnam County Emergency Management Agency came before the council with a proposal to purchase 16 new Hazardous Material suits due to several of the existing suits failing.

In Putnam County there are currently two Hazardous Material Response Units, the Cloverdale Volunteer Fire Department and the Greencastle Fire Department, which respond to all hazardous material incidents throughout the county.

The suits were first purchased after Sept. 11 and are typically used during chemical or drug situations.

Helmer, stating that it is only a matter of time before all the suits become unverifiable due to age, came before the council to ask for approval for a total of $35,000 from the Hazardous Material fund. A total of 16 suits will be replaced between both Greencastle and Clover-dale.

The total cost also includes funding for four new gas detection meters along with a software upgrade.

The older suits, four of which are already out of use, will be reused for training purposes.

Kathy Deer also came before the council to ask for permission to start a cumulative fire fund for the Walnut Creek Fire Protection District.

The district serves Clinton and Monroe townships and supplies funding for all maintenance, building and equipment for two fire departments.

"The district has been able in the past to set aside some funding from the General Fund into an equipment replacement fund," Deer explained. "But those funds are not adequate to be able to replace vehicles as quickly as the future need is looming."

Currently, there is $20,000 budgeted in the General Fund to transfer into the Equipment Replacement Fund for 2013. If approved for the cumulative fund, the $20,000 will be replaced with the tax rate for the Cumulative Fire Fund in 2014.

"We don't have enough money fast enough to get this equipment in place," Deer said. "It's time to start a cumulative fund to keep this going."

Deer came before the council to propose a three-cent tax increase in Clinton and Monroe townships. This fund would help purchase a new truck for the Bainbridge station, which last purchased a truck in 2001. It will also help replace a pump at the station, which is from 1990.

The council agreed to hold a public hearing for the proposed tax increase during the April 16 meeting. Deer will also publish a notice to taxpayers two times before the hearing.

If the public hearing goes well, there will be a notice of adoption and the tax increase would come into effect during the next budget year.

In other business:

* County Planner Sandy Amers was approved for an additional $6,375 for a new software program, which will make it easier for county residents to purchase permits online.

* Judge Matthew Headley was approved for an additional $11,400. The money will be used for Senior Judge Bob Lowe to hear Title IVD cases.

* Putnam County Assessor Nancy Dennis was approved for a transfer of $3,000 from the supplies to mileage fund.

* Custodians received an additional $3,991 to give as a raise to an existing employee.