SB0054 - Marion County fire consolidation.

2 Co-Sponsors

Marion County fire consolidation. Authorizes the consolidation of a township fire department or fire protection territory in Marion County into the fire department of the consolidated city if the following occur: (1) The mayor of the consolidated city adopts a resolution approving the consolidation. (2) The city-county council adopts an ordinance approving the consolidation. (3) The mayor of the consolidated city approves the ordinance of the city-county council. Provides that a consolidation is effective on the date set forth in the ordinance adopted by the city-county council. Provides for the transfer of cumulative building and equipment fund balances, debt service balances, and firefighting fund balances on the effective date of the consolidation. Makes changes to a provision concerning the transfer of certain types of indebtedness to the consolidated city incurred before the effective date of the consolidation. Relocates language specifying that indebtedness related to fire protection services that is incurred before the effective date of the consolidation by the consolidated city remains the debt of the consolidated city and property taxes to pay the debt may only be levied within the fire special service district. Specifies that to become a firefighter with the fire department of the consolidated city as part of a consolidation, an individual must pass the work performance evaluation administered by the fire department of the consolidated city. Provides that a physician selected by the fire department of the consolidated city may, upon application by the firefighter, grant the firefighter an extension, for medical reasons, of the date by which the firefighter must pass the work performance evaluation. Provides that for purposes of determining the seniority of a merit firefighter who becomes employed by the fire department of the consolidated city through a consolidation: (1) the time served by the individual as a merit firefighter with the consolidated fire department also includes the total time served by the individual as a merit firefighter with the fire department in which the individual was serving at the time of the consolidation; and (2) the hire date of the individual is the date the individual was hired as a merit firefighter by the fire department in which the individual was serving at the time of consolidation. Specifies that if an individual becomes a firefighter employed by the fire department of the consolidated city through a consolidation, the individual's merit rank may not be reduced below the lesser of the merit rank held by the individual on the effective date of the consolidation or the rank of captain. Specifies that the consolidated city may levy property taxes within the area served by the consolidated fire department to provide for the payment of the expenses for the operation of the consolidated fire department. Provides that beginning with the fifth year after the year in which such a consolidation is effective, the total property tax rate imposed for fire protection within the territory formerly served by the fire department that was consolidated may not exceed the total property tax rate imposed for fire protection in other areas served by the fire department of the consolidated city.