The Jeffersonville City Council and Utica Township Fire Protection District board will meet next week to consider adoption of a new fire territory that will allow the city to ramp up fire services and add EMS for both Jeffersonville and Utica.
It comes as the investigation of Jamey Noel has left gaps in fire coverage to Utica Township, and led leaders in Southern Indiana to reconsider EMS service.
The Jeffersonville City Council voted 7-2, in favor, on the first two readings of the ordinance this week to establish the Jeffersonville-Utica Township Fire Protection Territory. The final vote is expected at a joint meeting with the Utica Township Fire Protection board March 13.
Jeffersonville Council member Dustin White, who voted in favor of the ordinance, noted that Utica Township and the town of Utica, have not had quality fire service for years and that Clark County, as a whole, “has an EMS crisis.”
“Tonight, together with the Utica Township Fire Protection District, we can solve these challenges,” White said at the meeting.
He said residents should be able to have faith they’ll get good service when they dial 911.
“This is what our citizens deserve, and tonight we have the opportunity to take the first step to ensure it is provided.”
Diminishing local service
Talks around the need for the territory came amid the investigation of former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel, who previously provided emergency services to much of Southern Indiana largely through New Chapel EMS.
Noel pleaded guilty last fall to 27 felonies including theft and tax evasion. He admitted to stealing millions — much of it from the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association, also known as New Chapel EMS.
New Chapel previously provided emergency service to all of Clark and most of Floyd County, including Utica.
But as accusations against Noel mounted during the state police investigation, emergency services were impacted. Officials in Clark and Floyd counties brought in new EMS providers.
Last August, the newly appointed Utica Fire Protection District board voted to end a facilities use agreement with New Chapel for two buildings — one the longtime EMS headquarters — and voted to terminate a fire services contract immediately.
The following day, New Chapel announced they were stopping 911 EMS services in Clark County. That came a few days after Clark County added another EMS provider as concerns about New Chapel mounted amid the investigation into Noel.
According to meeting minutes, Utica Township Fire Protection District President Joe Jarles said when new board members were appointed last year, they found “deplorable conditions,” including unmaintained or uninspected equipment and a general lack of safety.
He said the district also found it was “deeply in debt” and that an Indiana State Board of Accounts investigation showed multiple fire trucks were stolen and sold by “the previous service contractor,” — which was New Chapel, then led by Noel. Jarles said that means Utica Township doesn’t have enough money to provide effective fire service and needs help from neighboring Jeffersonville.
Last year, Jeffersonville agreed to support service to Utica through an automatic aid agreement, meaning Jeffersonville would respond to fires and other emergencies in Utica and Utica Township. At the same time, Jeffersonville also looked into the feasibility of starting a fire territory that would include EMS.
Jeffersonville Fire Department Assistant Chief Jason Sharp recently presented information about the territory. It would add fire suppression companies to include staffing a firehouse in Utica as well as an additional company to cover service to the River Ridge Commerce Center.
It would also bring on four advanced life support EMS ambulances and a paramedic quick response vehicle, all operating 24/7.
That expansion of resources comes with a hefty price tag.
According to information presented by Baker Tilly, the firm that conducted the financial analysis, the grand total operating budget for the fire territory is estimated at $28.5 million in 2026, $35.1 million in 2027 and $36.3 million in 2028.
A recent news release from Sellersburg officials said $7 million of the $35.1 million budget would be for EMS service, which it shows is more than double what Clark County government is currently paying to provide service to the entire county.
The financial bottom line
Creation of the territory would allow a tax levy to pay for services, which would mean an increase in property taxes for some, though not equally across the board.
Some local leaders, including from neighboring Charlestown, Clarksville and Sellersburg said the current fire territory proposal will deplete funds they use to pay for operations.
Charlestown Mayor Treva Hodges said the territory will mean other taxing units in the area will get less in income tax revenue and also decrease how much they can get from growth through property taxes.
Clarksville Town Manager Kevin Baity said at a recent public hearing with the Jeffersonville Council and Utica fire board it will mean a loss to the town of more than $5.6 million from various tax revenue streams.
“That means layoffs,” Baity said. “That means layoffs in the street department, that means layoffs in public safety…”
“I would only ask that if you approve this fire territory, that the employees that I have to cut be considered to be your new firefighters and your new EMS operators.”
“Do not do this to your neighbors,” Hodges said at the same hearing — one of three required as part of the territory adoption process. “Nobody is telling you can’t have a fire territory. Just slow it down and do it [in a] more responsible and respectful way.”
Both Clarksville and Charlestown approved resolutions at council meetings this week opposing the fire territory.
Some community leaders in Clark County agree Utica needs emergency services, but say there should be more discussion with local leaders before implementing the new territory.
At Clarksville’s meeting, Baity raised concerns about this including EMS service when Clark County currently provides that to all municipalities in the county.
Resident Cathy Allen said at one of the public hearings on the proposed territory the town needs fire and EMS service and that it’s not trying to negatively impact its neighbors. She also pointed to what she said was failed oversight of the previous Utica Fire Protection District board.
“The people of Utica didn't cause this,” she said. “I think we all know who did and I think that person should be held more accountable than the people of Utica for no fire protection.”
Local taxing units like Charlestown and Clarksville could be further impacted if a state senate bill overhauling property taxes passes.
The Jeffersonville City Council and Utica Township Fire Protection District board will meet for an adoption hearing March 13 at 4 p.m. If it passes as expected, the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance would have final approval.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Coverage of Southern Indiana is funded, in part, by Samtec Inc., the Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation, and the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County.
