By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The four townships who receive their fire protection from the Decatur Fire Department are now paid-in-full with the department for 2026.
Root Township paid $38,117.43 while St. Mary’s paid $18,543.48. Union’s bill came to $16,488.09. All contracts were approved by Decatur’s board of works and safety at its latest meeting..
Washington Township earlier paid its bill of $29,875.60.
For the first time since the 1970s, the City of Decatur increased its fees for fire protection.
Up until this year, what the four townships had been paying amounted to 6% of the fire department’s annual budget. And, it was pointed out, 25% of the city’s fire (and some medical) runs were being made to those townships.
So an increase of 3% (6% to 9%) was agreed upon by city officials, with the department’s budget for this year set at $1,144,659.
That will bring an additional $103,019.31 to city coffers this year.
The cost of fire protection to the four townships was divided proportionately according to their net assessed valuation.
The total net assessed valuation for the four amounted to $488,034,545:
Root, $181,823,566.
Washington, $142,243,566.
St. Mary’s, $86,333,173.
Union, $77,634,240.
As of July 1, 2023, here are estimated population numbers for the following townships:
Washington, 8,777.
Root, 6,118.
St. Mary’s, 1,278.
Union, 910.
About the Author
