Franklin Township, IN, Exploring Fire Protection Options

Jan. 24, 2025
The township is no longer part of a discussion to combine territory with Georgetown Township and New Albany Township.

Jan. 24—FLOYD COUNTY — Franklin Township in Floyd County is exploring the next steps for fire protection, but it is moving away from consideration of a fire territory.

The township is no longer part of discussions for a combined fire territory with Georgetown Township Fire and New Albany Township Fire. A recent proposal called for a territory that would include all three townships.

Franklin Township Trustee Charlie Moon said Ann Heitkemper and Donald Schickel with the three-member Franklin Township Advisory Board indicated that they wanted to return to service with the Lanesville Volunteer Fire Department, and they did not want to pursue the territory.

"At that time, I removed Franklin Township out of the discussions because if we would have went in and they would have voted no at the end of four meetings, that would have actually stopped Georgetown and New Albany Township from moving forward with the territory," Moon said.

The Franklin Township Advisory Board is set to meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 12 at Pineview Government Center in New Albany to discuss fire protection.

As of Jan. 1, Franklin Township no longer has a signed contract for fire protection, but Georgetown Fire agreed to continue providing fire service until an agreement is in place, Moon said.

Franklin Township began an agreement with Georgetown Fire last year for fire service. There is now a mutual aid agreement with the Elizabeth Volunteer Fire Department and New Albany Township Fire to assist Georgetown with service in Franklin Township.

Schickel said he feels it would be better for taxpayers to seek bids for fire service instead of pursuing a fire territory or district. He would like to see options from the Lanesville Fire, Georgetown Fire and Elizabeth Fire departments.

" Franklin Township, there hasn't been that many houses built out in our area, and we don't need a fire district or a territory," he said. "The way I read it is they're wanting to start a fire territory or district where they've got full control over the fire departments and they spent money [that's] unnecessary."

Moon said he has concerns about Lanesville Fire, which is completely run by volunteers.

He would prefer to continue with Georgetown Fire, a fire district with paid firefighters.

"You have a paid, professional firehouse on Corydon Ridge Road that is there 24/7, 365 days a year versus a volunteer fire department that is in Harrison County that we don't know if they're going to respond or not," Moon said.

He said Lanesville Fire is seeking $12,000 annually for fire protection, which is an increase of $4,000 from what Franklin provided the fire department in 2023.

He feels that Georgetown Fire would save the department money while providing a more robust response. Georgetown Fire service costs about $8,000 annually, Moon said.

"[ Lanesville's] expenses have been going down each year yet they're going to raise our prices," he said. "This year we would be paying 30% of their expenses."

Schickel said Lanesville provides "really good service."

"We've never had a problem with them making calls or making runs for our end of the county," he said. "I don't have a problem with Georgetown, but the only thing I see with Georgetown is their trucks are way too big for these narrow county roads out here."

"They're just way too big, and they can't maneuver in people's driveways or in the county roads."

Lanesville Fire Chief Mike Walter said he doesn't see any issues with returning to Franklin Township. He projects that the volunteer fire department would add another 100 runs a year if the department began serving the township again.

"We would go back the same as we have been in the past," he said. "We would be in negotiation when the contract [is] due to raise the rate to try some to be able to provide our expenses...We've got a new fire truck we're getting ready to purchase."

Moon said he is also concerned that Lanesville Fire's radio system is not capable of communicating with any Floyd County emergency services, including fire, EMS and police.

Floyd County Commissioner Jason Sharp, who is also a firefighter with the Jeffersonville Fire Department, said the limitations of the radio system could be "very dangerous on a fire ground or at an accident scene."

Walter said following Harrison County's switch to a different radio system, the department has to carry old handheld radios to speak with Floyd County dispatch and Georgetown Fire, and firefighters carry the old radios when providing a mutual aid run for Georgetown.

When someone calls 911 in Franklin Township, it goes to Floyd County's dispatch, and with service provided by Lanesville, dispatch must then transfer the call to Harrison County. Moon said this causes "multiple minutes of delays."

Moon and Sharp noted comments from Walter at a May 20, 2024 meeting, referring to meeting minutes that state that the fire chief said "he wasn't interested in making runs on drug overdoses and that many of his runs are drug-related."

"As a first responder, you don't pick your patients," Sharp said. "You provide service and you give everybody 110%, no matter what."

AmeriPro is the EMS provider for that area of Floyd County, but fire departments also assist with medical calls. Walter said the department has responded to drug overdose calls in the past and would continue to in the future.

"As a department, we're now trained and we carry Narcan," he said.

Walter said the department offers basic life support, non-transport services.

Moon referred to an email from Jason Smith, EMS district manager for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, stating that Lanesville Fire "does not hold a current, valid EMS certification."

He asked Sharp to consider an ordinance to "make it where public safety has to be spent within the county," and he would like to explore the formation of a fire district in Franklin.

Sharp expects to have a conversation with Franklin Township's board to explore options.

"We could say, you know what, if this is the path that they choose to take, they're elected representatives and so be it, or we could create a fire district and essentially take it out of their hands," he said.

He has an "obligation to ensure that the people of Floyd County are receiving proper services," Sharp said.

"And I have some real reservations about the services that they are capable of providing at this time," he said.

Schickel said many people cannot afford extra taxes from a fire territory or fire district, and he wants the Franklin Township Advisory Board to retain control of how money is spent.

"We're just a small portion of Floyd County, and we keep everything in what I consider reasonable taxes," he said. "That's the cheapest way to go."

Georgetown Fire and New Albany Township Fire will continue consideration of the fire territory with public meetings scheduled for Jan. 30, Feb. 13, Feb. 27 and March 13.

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