(A) Fire protection service fees. Pursuant to I.C. 8-1-2-103(d), each user shall pay the fire protection service fees, which consist of (i) private and/or (ii) public. This fee applies to all Town residents on town water and any non-resident on Town water who is within one thousand (1,000) feet of a Town hydrant.
(1) Private fire protection is billed annually, is payable by January 31 of the billed year, and is based on meter size of automatic sprinklers and the number of private hydrants on the property.
Private Fire Protection | Charges Per Annum |
Private Fire Protection | Charges Per Annum |
Automatic sprinklers | |
1 inch meter | $9.55 |
1 1/4 inch meter | $14.99 |
1 1/2 inch meter | $21.54 |
2 inch meter | $38.34 |
3 inch meter | $86.22 |
4 inch meter | $153.35 |
6 inch meter | $345.05 |
8 inch meter | $613.43 |
Fire hydrants | |
Private hydrants, each | $345.00 |
Public hydrants, each | $345.00 |
(2) Charges for public fire protection shall be billed by and through the Town utilities on the monthly utility bill and with the implementation of related policies. The public fire protection fee is billed monthly to the owner or renter who occupies the property as of the first day of the current month, and is based on meter size.
Public Fire Protection | Charge |
Public Fire Protection | Charge |
5/8 inch meter | $4.06 |
3/4 inch meter | $6.09 |
1 inch meter | $10.10 |
1 1/4 inch meter | $16.24 |
1 1/2 inch meter | $20.30 |
2 inch meter | $32.48 |
3 inch meter | $60.90 |
4 inch meter | $101.45 |
6 inch meter | $202.90 |
8 inch meter | $324.75 |
10 inch meter | $466.75 |
12 inch meter | $872.75 |
(B)
Exemptions for school systems.
(1) An exemption from the foregoing fire protection service fees is available to all public and private schools or school systems that are accredited by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) for any range of grades between K through 12. An eligible school or school system must annually apply in writing to the Town Superintendent of Water for an exemption no later than July 1 for an exemption to be effective during the following calendar year. The annual application must include the following information:
(a) The number of buildings within the school or school system that are equipped with automatic fire-supersession sprinkler systems;
(b) The connection size (in inches) of each automatic fire suppression sprinkler system;
(c) The number of hydrants under the control of the school or school system;
(d) The meter size (in inches) of each water meter within the school or school system; and
(e) A certification that all fire-suppression sprinkler systems and hydrants have been maintained in accordance with all applicable manufacturer instructions and fire code regulations.
(2) The Town Water Superintendent )or a designated representative) will forward a certification letter to the Town Utility Department so that appropriate billing adjustments may be made.
(C) Annual COLA increase. Subject to annual review by the Town Council, on January 1, 2022 and on January 1 of each year, beginning in 2023, a 1.5% cost of living adjustment ("COLA") shall be added to the previous year's rates and charges for all customers. This 1.5% increase shall occur automatically each year, subject to the Town Council's annual review in July of each year, unless and until such time that the Town Council amends or adjusts the percentage increase for the next calendar year or otherwise amends this division, which may include but not be limited to an additional annual increase as determined by the Town Council.
(`92 Code, §9-106) (Res. 91-3, passed 5-9-91; Am. Ord. 2010-09, passed 5-13-10; Am. Ord. 2013-23, passed 7-25-13; Am. Ord. 2015-11, passed 5-14-15; Am. Ord. 2018-14, passed 7-26-18; Am. Ord. 2021-47, passed 12-16-21; Am. Ord. 2022-20, passed 8-25-22)