NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE BLUFFTON FIRE PROTECTION TERRITORY
Notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of the City of Bluffton, Lancaster Township and Harrison Township all of Wells County, Indiana, that joint public hearings will be held before the Bluffton City Council, Lancaster Township Board and Harrison Township Board on Monday, January 30, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at the Bluffton City Hall, 128 East Market Street, Bluffton, Indiana 46714 to consider a proposed ordinance and resolutions for the establishment of the Bluffton Fire Protection Territory beginning with taxes payable in 2024. Additional joint public hearings of the Bluffton City Council, Lancaster Township Board and Harrison Township Board will be held on Wednesday February 20, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. and March 13, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at the Bluffton City Hall, 128 East Market Street, Bluffton, Indiana 46714. After the third and final public hearing, the Bluffton City Council, Lancaster Township Board and Harrison Township Board will vote to either adopt, reject, or table the ordinances and resolutions for the establishment of the Bluffton Fire Protection Territory. If enacted, the proposed ordinance and resolutions will establish the Bluffton Fire Protection Territory between the City of Bluffton (Provider Unit) Lancaster Township and Harrison Township (Participating Units) and will provide for a uniform tax rate within the territory.
The proposed budget, property tax levy and rate for the Fire Protection Territory for the next three years are shown below. Proposed levies represent maximum amounts. Tax rates are estimates and could vary based on certified net assessed values.
2024 2025 2026
Proposed Budget:
$ 1,897,566
Fire Operating $ 1,962,796 $2,035,601
Fire Territory Equipment
Replacement $335,000 $335,000 $335,000
Debt Payment $200,000 $200,000 $200,000
Cash Balance $284,635 $0.00 $0.00
Totals $ 2,717,201 $ 2,497,796 $ 2,570,601
2024 2025 2026
Proposed Property Tax Levy:
Fire Operating $ 2,427,862 $ 1,774,268 $ 1,842,916
Territory Debt Service $ 185,938 $ 185,938 $185,938
Fire Territory Equipment
Replacement 308,519 308,519 308,519
Totals $2,922,319 $2,268,725 $2,337,373
2024 2025 2026
Proposed Uniform Property Tax Rate:
Fire Operating $ 0.2193 $ 0.1969 $ 0.2048
Debt Service Fund 0.0201 0.0201 0.0201
Fire Territory Equipment
Replacement 0.0333 0.0333 0.0333
Totals $ 0.2727 $ 0.2503 $ 0.2582
2024 2025 2026
Unit’s Share of Levy Based on Net
Assessed Value:
City of Bluffton [Provider] $1,860,933 $1,444,724 $1,488,439
Lancaster Township 595,861 462,593 476,590
Harrison Township 465,525 361,408 372,344
Total $2,922,319 $2,268,725 $2,337,373
A copy of the proposed ordinance and resolutions will be made available for inspection at the public hearings. Persons seeking additional information may contact Brenda Jackson, Assistant to the Mayor of the City of Bluffton, at (260) 824-1520, David Rigney, Lancaster Township at (260) 760-0501, or Kyle Hunt, Harrison Township, (260) 824-6402. If you would like to submit written comments to any of the participants, you may do so at this electronic mail address: brenda.jackson@blufftonindiana.gov
DATED this 17th Day of January, 2023
LANCASTER TOWNSHIP BOARD
HARRISON TOWNSHIP BOARD
BLUFFTON CITY COUNCIL
nb 1/19
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