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 $500,000–$600,000. The radio upgrade was described as roughly $300,000.

County staff explained the statutory process for local income tax (LIT) distributions and noted the legislature changed the law so that requests now require a hearing. Doug, county staff, summarized the effect: "the statute changed to where ... you have to have a hearing," and he told council members the county council must hold a hearing and may later introduce and advertise a resolution for action before September if it wants distributions applied to the 2026 revenues.

Council members asked detailed questions about why run volume rose faster than population; Valentin cited dispatch changes, new multi‑occupancy rental developments (for example Wabash Lofts) and the township taking on emergency responses previously handled by others. She said other funding avenues the township pursues include competitive federal grants (SAFER for staffing, AFG for equipment) and exploring a fire territory arrangement.

Council debate focused on timing and the pending changes from Senate Bill 1 that will alter public safety funding in two years. Some members said they were not ready to act given the statutory changes and budget uncertainty; others said they were willing to move forward to allow a distribution to be considered. Councilman Richards moved and Councilman Carson seconded a motion to introduce a county council resolution to the income tax council to request a distribution for Wabash Township; the motion passed to introduce the resolution for advertisement and further consideration at the August meeting. County staff and Valentin noted that introduction is procedural and that a final vote on a distribution would follow required advertisement and a subsequent council action.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 2025-14-CL (BioBond Adhesives personal property tax abatement): approved (motion: Councilwoman Vernon; second: Councilman Murray). The company presented an expected investment of up to $2.8 million and the creation of at least 38 FTEs. - Wabash Township public safety LIT request: motion to introduce a county resolution to the income tax council (mover: Councilman Richards; seconder: Councilman Carson). Outcome: motion to introduce carried; introduction requires advertisement and a subsequent vote. - Consent agenda and multiple appropriations across courts, CASA, highway, area plan, health and sheriff: approved (routine votes). Notable amounts: CASA GRAMA appropriation $393,915; Motor Vehicle Highway appropriation $850,000; Superior Court 3 appropriation $35,000; other departmental appropriations approved as presented.

Valentin and the township fire chief remained after the meeting to answer follow‑up questions. Public comment later in the meeting raised unrelated land‑use concerns about a proposed utility‑scale solar project (Rainbow Trout) in Shelby Township and requested council members inspect the site.

Why it matters: The request, if approved by the income tax council after the county'level process, would redirect a portion of public safety LIT revenue from certified shares to Wabash Township to help pay for equipment and station planning needed ahead of forecast housing growth. Several council members flagged that Senate Bill 1 will change how public safety LIT operates in two years, making the near‑term timing and longer‑term funding structure a central part of their decision calculus.

Sources: Meeting transcript of the Tippecanoe County Council, July 8, 2025. Direct quotations are attributed to presenters and council members as spoken during the hearing.