Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board Monday started the year’s business with several housekeeping items:

• The board hired Andrew Grossnickle as the township’s attorney, effective immediately. David Cates previously served in that capacity but had to resign at the beginning of the year to assume his elected position as judge of Kosciusko Superior Court 1.

• The board voted unanimously to lift any monetary limitation on Township Trustee Barb Griffith’s ability to assist eligible families with their utility payments this winter.

• At the request of Turkey Creek Township Fire Chief Mickey Scott, the board transferred $76,683 of unused 2014 budget allotment to the 2015 equipment replacement fund.

• The monthly meeting time was moved from 7:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. The time change will be effective beginning with next month’s meeting.

Griffith presented her year-end report noting the township’s finances are solid, despite the township’s expenses for three December funerals. “That is the most I have seen in one month,” she said.

The township has only one outstanding bill from 2014, Griffith reported. Larry Weaver submitted late last month a $10,150 invoice for tree removal services performed last year. She can still pay the bill out of 2014 funds, as the Indiana state board of accounts grants some leeway in settling such year-end obligations in the following calendar year.

Scott presented his monthly report, which included 2014 totals for fire and EMS responses. The department made 200 fire and 1,057 EMS runs last year, the highest yearly total since the fire territory was formed six years ago.

Though the number of fire calls has increased, however, the amount of property loss “has been coming down steadily,” Scott said.

Scott also reported each of the department’s firefighters has life insurance for line-of-duty death from various sources. The department pays premiums for the state-mandated $15,000 per person and the Indiana Volunteer Firefighter Association provides coverage “over six figures,” according to Scott. The board requested him to provide the coverage amounts at the February meeting.

The department will receive delivery of its new grass and brush fire truck around Aug. 1, Scott estimated. He said the truck presently in service will then be sold.

The financial report showed the department operating under its 2014 budget, using less than 88 percent of its allotted $1.5 million.

The board will next meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, in the Syracuse Town Hall.