LOWELL | The Town Council will continue to look at creating a fire territory that would include Schneider and West Creek and Cedar Creek townships.
The decision to pay the town's "fair share" to meet again with Indianapolis attorney Steven Bushman on the subject passed in a 4-1 vote last week.
Councilman Edgar Corns, R-5th, opposed the idea.
Lukewarm support came from Vice-President Robert Philpot, R-2nd, and Councilman Donald Parker, D-3rd.
"I have more questions. I'm not opposed to one more meeting," Parker said.
Councilman Craig Earley, D-1st, is leading the effort to learn if trying again for a fire territory is a good idea and supported.
Earley said the township trustees will be meeting with their advisory boards to determine if they want to stay on board. He will set a meeting date once their decisions are made, he said.
Schneider Town Board President Richard Ludlum said the volunteer fire department there has no money and is being subsidized by the town, which seems to support a fire territory.
More than a year ago, creating a fire territory was touted by the Lowell and Lake Dalecarlia Volunteer Fire Departments and the Tri-Creek Emergency Medical Service as a way to ensure the viability of the ambulance service and maintain local control.
The state rejected the fire territory application because it should be an agreement between government entities and should not have included the fire departments and ambulance service.
Lowell Town Council President Phillip Kuiper, D-4th, said holding another meeting does not commit the town.
"We don't need to decide if we're for or against. ... We need to find out if it suits our needs," he said.
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