PENDLETON — Public officials from the town of Pendleton, and Fall Creek and Green Townships voted unanimously to approve the creation of South Madison Fire Territory, which will begin with the first tax levy in July 2023.
The five-member town council and three-member township boards voted separately to adopt the territory agreement as well as to create an equipment replacement fund during a special meeting Tuesday, March 29, at Pendleton Town Hall Tuesday.
Pendleton council member Steve Denny, who worked closely with the fire department, Chief Chris Nodine and consultant firm Baker Tilly on the territory proposal, addressed those in attendance following the approval. He thanked all those involved in creating and approving what he called, “a historic occasion.”
He added, “Finally, I’d just like to thank everybody that has served on the fire department as a volunteer over the last 100-plus years. Before I got into this I always heard wonderful things about our volunteer fire department. I always say, they are in the top 1-2 in the state. I just want to thank everybody who has participated over the years … There’s only better things to come now with this becoming a territory. It was an honor and privilege to be a small piece of this project. Fifty years from now they’re going to be talking about this.”
In the first of three public meetings in January, Nodine said that adopting the fire territory would give him the ability to start hiring full-time paid firefighters and staff and give residents better, more efficient coverage around the clock.
The proposed budget for the territory in 2023 is $2.1 million and would increase to $5.1 million in 2024 and $6.6 million in 2025. It would enable Nodine to increase the full-time staff each year.
The fire territory service area runs about 10 miles east to west and seven miles north to south in southwest Madison County.
The town of Ingalls, which recently merged its department with the Pendleton fire department for a second Pendleton station, have an agreement to continue receiving fire coverage, but will not, initially, be part of the territory. It is expected to join at a later date.
“It means a lot, especially for myself,” Pendleton assistant fire chief Jacob Gardner said of Tuesday’s favorable vote. “My family has over 100 years combined service here. My grandfather had 50 years. My father was also an assistant chief here. For this to happen, it means a lot with the future growth of the town and the townships. We needed it.
“It’s going to take some weight off our shoulders knowing that we will have staffing for the community and be able to protect and serve better than what we are now.”