LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Clark County Commissioners voted Wednesday to terminate the board overseeing the Utica Township Fire Protection District, just one day before a critical vote was scheduled to establish a new fire protection territory for the area. The decision has raised questions over the legal authority of the commissioners and the financial stability of fire services in the region.
The dismissal of the three members of the Utica Township Fire Protection District Board came ahead of a scheduled vote by both the Jeffersonville City Council and the district board on an ordinance that would create the Jeffersonville — Utica Township Fire Protection Territory. This new fire territory aims to address the gaps in emergency services left behind after the fraud case involving former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel.
The sudden removal of the board members has sparked controversy. Joe Jarles, President of the board, issued a statement expressing concern that the meeting was held in violation of Indiana’s Open Door Law. He stated that the commissioners did not directly communicate with the board before the meeting and that the actions taken were outside their statutory authority. Jarles further argued that the commissioners’ vote was ineffective, as it conflicted with state law.
The meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday, was moved up to Wednesday, according to an agenda from the Clark County Government Portal. The primary focus of the meeting was a discussion on the financial impact of the proposed fire territory. The minutes from the meeting have not yet been uploaded to the county’s official website, leaving some details unclear.
The City of Jeffersonville, which has stepped forward to help cover Utica Township’s fire protection needs, has already offered to expand its fire department to fill the void left by the former New Chapel Fire Department. The proposed new fire district would allow the cost of fire services to be distributed across a broader tax base. However, leaders from other cities in Clark County have raised concerns about the financial burden the new district could place on local budgets.
The establishment of the new fire district comes in the wake of the fraud case against Noel, who had led both the New Chapel EMS and the Utica Township Volunteer Fire Department. After the contract between New Chapel and Clark County ended last year, the Muncie-based Heartland Ambulance Service took over, but coverage gaps remain. The new fire territory would address those gaps, but the task of hiring firefighters, purchasing equipment, and setting up operations could cost more than $30 million.
The potential financial burden has become a central point of contention. Indiana’s property tax caps have limited the revenue available to fund the new fire services. With local budgets already stretched thin, funding the territory through existing tax bases has raised alarms among city leaders, who worry it could devastate their budgets and strain resources meant for other public services.
The departure of the New Chapel Fire Department left behind a building that could be refurbished for use by the new district. While this may alleviate some logistical costs, the overall financial challenges remain significant. The commissioners’ recent vote has only intensified the uncertainty surrounding the creation of the new fire protection territory.
The board members of the Utica Township Fire Protection District and Jeffersonville City Council were scheduled to meet on Thursday to vote on the new ordinance and interlocal agreements that would officially establish the fire protection territory. It is unclear at this time whether the meeting will go ahead as planned.
As the situation unfolds, the people of Clark County are left with more questions than answers about the future of fire services in the region, and how the cost of these services will be covered amid ongoing financial concerns.
