May 2, 1986

Petition gets ball rolling on fire district

       More than enough signatures have been collected to start the ball rolling on the formation of a fire protection district in northern White River Township.  Bob Wehrman, chief of the White River Township Volunteer Fire Department said volunteers going door to door in northern White River Township have already more than the estimated 800 signatures necessary to establish a fire protection district.  Volunteers, however, continue to seek signatures from all parts of the proposed district to insure all areas are included, Wehrman said.  Two percent of the freeholders, property owners, in the proposed district must sign a petition if the district is to be formed.

         Officials at the Johnson County auditor’s office were unable to confirm this week the exact number of signatures needed to establish the district.  The petitions are expected to be turned into the county auditor’s office to verify the signatures as belonging to freeholders, property owners, in the district.  Officials at the auditor’s office aren’t sure exactly how they will verify that each of the signatures belongs to a freeholder, property owner, in the proposed fire district.  Through a computer check the signatures can be confirmed as belonging to White River Township property owners, but officials aren’t sure how they will verify that property owners have property in the proposed district, which covers the northern part of the township.  The district would include the entire township north of County Road 700N, except portions annexed by Greenwood, and area north of County Road 650N from the western county line to County Road 500W.

         If the auditor’s office is able to verify that 2 percent of the property owners in the proposed district have signed the petition, the matter will be referred to the Johnson County commissioners.  The commissioners would consider approval of the district, which would include a public hearing on the matter, said Bob Campbell, an advising officer with the state Local Government Tax Control Board.  If the district is approved after the hearing, the commissioners will appoint a five member board of fire trustees to conduct the business including proposing tax rates of the district.  In addition to speaking at the public hearing, Campbell, a Union Township resident, said those opposing the district can effectively stop the formation of a district by collecting signatures of 51 percent of the property owners in the area.

         If enough opposing signatures are collected, it would prevent information of a fire protection district for two years.  Though Wehrman said he hopes the fire district can be formed as soon as possible, he says there would be no taxes levied until at least next year, which would be collected in 1988.  Wehrman estimates nearly $200,000 would be raised through taxes.  The fire department has a current annual operating budget of about $80,000.  Campbell said it was too late for the district to be formed and levy taxes in 1986 for payment in 1987.  If a district is approved this year, he said, the district’s governing board would not receive tax funds until June of 1988.

         If established, Campbell said the district will have the power to implement a tax on real estate and personal property, but the district’s tax rates will have to be approved each year by the Johnson County Council and the state’s Local Government Tax Control Board.  Campbell described the county council’s budget approval as a formality, while the state’s approval is crucial.  Though many taxing districts, such as school districts, do not need approval of the county council, Campbell said the state statute governing fire protection districts include the commissioner’s approval as an extra control.  He said the Local Government Tax Control Board would have first approval before the proposed rate is brought before the council.
 
 

---