By HOLLY GASKILL
Though no action was taken on the budget or fire protection Tuesday, township officials continue to disagree on how to handle financial matters.
The advisory board reconvened Tuesday evening as a continuation of their Nov. 11 meeting where the board could not approve their minutes and several financial considerations. At that meeting, board member Tim Baker also accused Trustee Larry Heckber of illegal activity in submitting an earlier approved version of the 2025 budget.
Baker revisited the discussion on Tuesday, saying that Heckber had turned in what he wanted, not what was approved. Baker also stated he met with township attorney Tony Crowell but did not specify what Crowell had said about the matter.
Heckber refuted claims he had done anything wrong, saying he had submitted the budget as had been approved by the board with an agreement for fire protection with the town of Ossian. Both versions included the same totals but varied between line items. Because the township will pay a biannual lump sum, Heckber maintained that the individual line items were unimportant.
Board member David Haiflich used this as a further argument that it would not have mattered that the township’s budget differed from the fire agreement. “So you could have used ours but refused to?” he questioned.
“Because your items do not line up with the town of Ossian,” Heckber responded, again referring to the budget approved in the fire agreement.
The board also took no action on a request from the Ossian Volunteer Fire Department to encumber $10,920.38 from this year’s budget to pay for turnout gear at the beginning of 2025. While not an additional appropriation for the department, Baker argued it was inappropriate for the department to expend those funds outside of the calendar year.
Even so, Heckber notified the board that he did not require their permission to encumber the funds and would do so if the equipment did not arrive before the end of the year.
Ossian Town Council member Jeff Kemper clarified that Fire Chief Ben Fenstermaker often makes this purchase at the end of the year for the best price and use of the budget. “And because Ben is responsible with your money and pushes it (the purchase) so it’s cheaper to buy, and it passes the calendar date, you’re not going to honor your word?”
Baker said the township had honored its financial commitment, but Ossian Town Council member Dennis Ealing interjected that Jefferson Township would fall short of its financial commitment by roughly $11,000. Board member AJ Springer confirmed this.
“That’s right,” Baker then said. “And they needed to spend it by the end of the year.”
In response, Ealing questioned why the township had encumbered funds in prior years if Baker felt this way now. “Because it was a different deal — you wanted to change the agreement,” Baker replied.
Though Heckber intends to encumber the funds if needed, he read a statement describing the situation and his feelings following the discussion.
“I find it absolutely deplorable that Tim and David would try and deny the volunteer fire department $10,920 of the $79,000 2024 budget approved,” Heckber read. “I hope in 2025 you find a way around the hatred you have for me, Ben Fenstermaker, the town of Ossian and the volunteer fire department, and do the job you were elected to do — represent all of Jefferson Township.”
“There’s no hatred,” Baker responded.
Heckber appealed to the small audience to support his statement, and resident Troy Eschenbacher replied, “Are you insinuating that the hatred is one-sided, though? Because there has been hatred from all sides and it seems very childish to sit here and say it’s just the two of them. Anybody who has participated in this all year knows that that’s not true.”
Heckber pulled back on his claim, saying “hatred” was possibly too strong a word.
“Well I’m sorry you feel like it’s animosity toward you guys,” Baker later stated. “I mean, we’re here to conduct township business, and if we feel like this is what the township needs, that’s what we vote on.”
Heckber later added, “I hope next year that we’ve worked through some of this. We’ve done a lot of good things this year … There’ve been big changes this year, but I’m still proud of you guys as a board because you are very knowledgeable. You’re probably one of the most knowledgeable boards because you review this stuff … So I do appreciate you. I thank you for the job that you’ve done this year.”
The board 3-0 approved two items continued from their Dec. 11 meeting — their Oct. 17 meeting minutes and end-of-year transfers to balance the budget. Baker hesitated to approve the transfers, saying Heckber may have a shortfall for salaries at the end of the year. However, he concluded, “It’s going to be up to him (Heckber) to figure out how to pay it.”
Eschenbacher also asked about a previously discussed budget issue with cemetery maintenance, and Baker explained that $12,000 had been spent for the $8,000 line item. Baker said it wasn’t an issue, but he had requested clarification on how that money was spent.
Heckber also notified the board that $6,687 had been taken out in an audit.
The board will meet for their first meeting of the year at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 at the central office for Norwell Community Schools.
holly@news-banner.com
