Fort Branch council adopts resolution to allocate public safety income tax to five townships and fire districts

FORT BRANCH, Ind. — The Fort Branch Town Council on Aug. 14 adopted Resolution 2025-3 to allocate Gibson County public safety local income tax (LIT) revenue among five local townships and fire service areas ahead of the 2026 calendar year.

Union Township Trustee Jessica Kramer opened the public hearing and explained that the distributions would go to Poka Township, Union Township, White River Township Fire Territory, Washington Township and the Owensville–Montgomery Fire Protection District. Kramer said the county’s LIT was adopted last year and these entities were not previously allocated shares because their applications arrived after the municipal deadline.

The resolution lists the following proposed distributions for 2026: Poka Township — $26,238; Union Township — $167,640; White River Township Fire Territory — $34,865; Washington Township — $23,035; Owensville–Montgomery Fire Protection District — $136,383. Kramer and other officials said allocations are based on assessed value and population in each service area.

Council members asked about how a change in the local rate would affect Fort Branch’s share. Kramer provided a worked example using the stated amounts, noting that under a maximum 0.05% LIT scenario the town’s share could be reduced by roughly $4,250 next year (the example was presented as an approximate calculation by the presenter).

A town official read the full text of Resolution 2025-3 and recited statutory language citing Indiana Code provisions authorizing the county LIT and the Lit council’s authority to allocate funds to qualifying townships and fire protection entities. The reading corrected a prior date referenced in the resolution text: the public hearing was held Aug. 14, 2025. The resolution states the allocations apply to distributions made in the 2026 calendar year and authorizes town officers to carry out implementation.

A council member moved to approve Resolution 2025-3 and another member seconded. The council approved the resolution by voice vote after the chair called for ayes; the minutes record the motion, a second and an affirmative voice vote. No roll-call vote tally by name was recorded in the transcript.

Town staff recorded attendance during roll call: Sandy Burch was listed as present; Bob Reinhardt was listed as absent; Scott Dong was listed as present. The council set its next regular meeting for Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. and adjourned by voice vote.

The resolution and the statutory citations read into the record reference Indiana Code provisions governing local income tax (Indiana Code 6-3.6 and related sections) and state that any provision found unlawful would be severed while leaving the remainder in effect. The town’s resolution identifies the allocations as applying only to distributions made during calendar year 2026.