At a special Pierceton Town Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Pierceton Community Building are from left: Town Council President Mandy Espinoza, Town Council Vice President Matt Brubaker, Washington Township Trustee Dean Rhoades and Town Council Member Tom Barker. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

PIERCETON — The way Pierceton’s fire department is organized could change if leaders approve a proposal that was recently made.

At a special meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 9, the Pierceton Town Council heard the suggestion from Washington Township Trustee Dean Rhoades.

Rhoades proposed that the fire department be made a township one, with a contract being made between Washington Township and the town. As the arrangement currently exists, the fire department is its own entity and partners with both the town and the township.

A benefit of having the department be a township one would be its eligibility for special funding that it cannot currently qualify for as its own entity.

If the department would fall under the township model, the Washington Township Board would choose its fire chief and approve its members.

The council took no action on the suggestion Wednesday, with it to possibly make a decision at its regular meeting, set to start at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, at the Pierceton Community Building.