Staff writer
Hillsboro city council voted Tuesday to approve a new contract for fire services, signed by representatives from Lehigh, Liberty, Risley townships, and nine sections of Menno Township.
The City of Lehigh will have a vote Sept. 12.
The new agreement will alter equipment ownership and prices, while adding an equipment replacement fund.
“This is the culmination of about two, three years of work,” Administrator Larry Paine said.
Effective Jan. 1:
- Hillsboro will own all fire equipment, where there was some joint ownership before.
- All entities will combine their assessed valuations, approximately $27 million, to give all patrons equal cost for services, based on an annual fire budget. Everyone receiving protection will pay equally based on property valuation.
- An equipment replacement fund will set money aside each year based on a schedule that determines how long equipment is supposed to remain useful. The replacement fund became important when the townships could not afford to replace a 1982 pumper truck, for fighting rural fires.
The council then met for a 30-minute closed session to discuss trade secrets. No other action was performed.