(Statehouse) – State lawmakers have made some efforts to try to dissolve Indiana’s townships.
Townships are local areas of government that are mainly referenced for rural areas. They provide basic services like fire, EMS, and even rental and mortgage assistance if needed. State Rep. Karen Engleman (R-Georgetown) has authored a bill that would dissolve such township governments across the state.
It would then place the duties of township trustees into the hands of county commissioners. When it comes to emergency services offered by townships, those would then be the responsibility of the county’s emergency management director.
Debbie Driskell, the executive director of the Indiana Township Association, tells WISH-TV that’s a bad idea.
“That’s a big job to lay on top of a department that is already charged with some pretty important duties,” Driskell said.
Driskell said dissolving townships would also make it more difficult for people, especially in rural areas, to connect with basic government services.
“You’re removing those that were elected further from the people,” Driskell said. “So, that’s actually diminishing democracy.”
The bill also leaves room for the potential to dissolve towns, with a population of less than 1,000, if their operating costs are too high. Every four years, all towns with a population of less than 1,000 must submit a report of costs to the county comparing services provided to citizens and the town’s operations.
If the bill were to become law, a temporary township advisory group would be created to assist the county trustee; by January 1, 2027, that townships advisory group would be disbanded.
At the moment the bill is awaiting a hearing in the Committee on Local Government. It’s unclear if that hearing will ever take place.
(Story by Network Indiana)
