July 25, 2001

Trustee asks fire districts to share

       Danny Maple has a solution to the Bargersville Fire Department’s need for a new station: Why not share?  Maple, the White River Township trustee, has purchased 15 acres to build a new township government building. He has offered part of the property to the Bargersville and the White River Township fire departments for a shared station.  The land, just east of the Center Grove Middle School football field on Stones Crossing Road, sits on the dividing line between the two districts — White River Township fire district lies to the north, Bargersville fire district to the south.  The Johnson County Plan Commission has twice rejected a proposed site for a new Bargersville fire station on County Road 625W and Smokey Row Road.  White River Township Fire Department is also shopping for a new location to replace the aging station on Runyon Road, just south of Smith Valley Road. Although neither fire district board has discussed Maple’s proposal, board members talked about sharing a station three years ago. But at the time, Bargersville faced a lawsuit questioning the legality of the fire district, and the idea died.  “I’m at least hopeful an old idea can be revived,” said Dr. Charles Shufflebarger, a White River Township fire district board member. “We were going to discuss this even before Danny came up with the idea.”  Shufflebarger said the White River Township fire district historically has pushed its tax rates to the maximum amount permitted by the state.  But the area still needs more money to provide adequate coverage, he said.  Fire district tax rates in Bargersville also are among the county’s highest, and the district has spent $200,000 on the property rejected by the plan commission.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

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