SHIPSHEWANA, Ind. — Fire department issues took center stage at Thursday’s town council meeting.
The council voted to look at the concept of forming a fire territory and to advertise for bids for the purchase of a used ladder truck.
Council members authorized financial consultant Gregory Guerrettaz to proceed with a study to examine whether forming a fire territory would benefit Shipshewana by affording better fire protection to its residents.
Fire Chief Chad Miller earlier this year told the council that the concept is a growing trend which has some advantages, among them a pooling of resources due to the merger of several fire departments. He proposed at that time that the council consider the idea.
On Thursday, Town Manager Mike Puro said that forming a fire territory would “set up a larger district to fight fires.” He reported that Syracuse and Zionsville have formed fire territories and other towns across Indiana are considering the possibility, as well.
Puro said that the Shipshewana Volunteer Fire Department is pondering merging with neighboring Newbury Township to provide firefighting services. If the idea gets off the ground, the new territory would have its own budget and be governed by its own fire board. The territory would continue to contract with Clay and Van Buren townships to provide fire protection to them, just as the Shipshewana department does now.
The council gave Guerrettaz the option of halting the feasibility study before it’s completed and thereby saving money for the town, if it becomes quickly evident that the concept would not benefit Shipshewana.
The council voted to advertise for bids for the used aerial platform fire truck, which Puro said has an estimated cost of $245,000. He added that the growing number of three-story hotels in Shipshewana have created a need for a ladder truck to reach possible fire victims.
The bids will be opened at the next regular council meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at Town Hall.
Newbury, Clay and Van Buren townships would all participate with the town in the purchase of the truck, although to varying and smaller degrees than Shipshewana. Once purchased and readied for duty, Puro said that the truck also could be used to answer calls to areas that are part of mutual aid agreements set up with the Shipshewana Fire Department, including Howe.
The Town Council also voted to sign a purchase agreement for the truck with the three townships and to approve a fire services agreement for 2009 with the three townships.
In other business Thursday, the council:
• Approved the proposed 2009 town budget.
• Accepted the proposed Shipshewana Town Center budget for next calendar year.
• OK’d a quote of $14,000 from Northern Indiana Concrete to do all concrete work for four proposed dugouts at the baseball diamonds in the town's park.
Roofs would be installed at a later date, but the council wanted to beat bad weather for the laying of the concrete blocks and pouring of concrete flooring.
Councilwoman Chris Yoder said that if the concrete work cannot be completed before winter hits, the price quote would be honored next year.
• Gave Puro a positive personnel review for his first six months as town manager, qualifying him for a raise.
• Hired DLZ Indiana LLC of Fort Wayne to provide right-of-way acquisition services for the proposed Pumpkinvine recreational trail and bike path project in Shipshewana.
• Honored Eldon and Esta Hostetler for bestowing an endowment to the town of $100,000 earmarked for maintenance of the Shipshewana Town Center and the Hudson museum.
The Hostetlers donated Hudson automobiles to the museum prior to the museum’s opening, as well.
Council President Roger Yoder expressed appreciation to the husband and wife team and called them “committed to growth” in Shipshewana. He presented them with a Character Award for being visionaries in the town.
Park Board President Brett Hart presented a character award for “creativity” to Westview High School teacher Jesse Martin and the Westview National Art Honor Society for painting an underwater mural on the town’s water filtration tank. Martin and nine students accepted the award.
Puro asked that residents be patient with the pace of town-sponsored leaf pickup. He said that due to warm weather, leaves have fallen much later than normal this fall. And once they did fall, wet conditions prevailed, causing the town’s vacuum truck to jam frequently when attempting to pick up the leaves.
Town Clerk-Treasurer Ruth Ann Downey reminded the audience that no second council meeting will take place this month due to Thanksgiving falling on the fourth Thursday.
The second meeting in December will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 30, rather than on the fourth Thursday of next month, as the Christmas holiday also will fall on the fourth Thursday.
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