Wabash Township asks county to seek $600,000 from public safety LIT for radios, breathing gear and station planning

Wabash Township Trustee Angel Valentin told the Tippecanoe County Council on July 8 that the township is requesting $600,000 from the county'administered public safety local income tax to fund a state-mandated radio upgrade, replacement breathing apparatus (SCBA) and other capital investments tied to rapid residential growth.

Valentin said the request is "a culmination of a three‑year process" and framed it as preparation for an expected development wave: "We have about 21,000 residents that are currently in the unincorporated area" and the township expects up to 4,850 new housing units across the decade, of which roughly 800 units are occupied today.

The presentation outlined staffing and apparatus data. Valentin said the township will have 12 career firefighters on shift by year end (three shifts of four), 23 volunteers and two primary medical response apparatuses, including a recently purchased ambulance. She described run‑volume growth since 2022 and said the township currently runs about half the call volume of West Lafayette while operating from one station; ladder truck replacement is estimated at $2–3 million, a tanker around $1 million and a brush rig…