Rural township fire departments will get a financial boost in 2014, now that the Hancock County Council has decided to disperse local-option income tax funds to struggling agencies.
Eastern and central townships will receive roughly $103,000 next year in LOIT funds for new equipment and ambulance services.
But not everybody is happy: Officials from Sugar Creek and Buck Creek townships were denied funds.
“The consensus we had was focusing on the volunteer departments and the areas serviced by volunteers,” said Councilman John Jessup, head of the committee that reviewed applications. “The townships that weren’t serviced by volunteers (have) paid firefighters, and there’s a tax rate in place.”
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