Indian Creek Fire Fighters Association

The volunteer fire fighter's organization for Indian Creek Township, the township consisting of the southwest corner of Monroe County. The firehouse, located on Rockport Road, has been the center of much political controversy, and was recently given notice that its contract with the township was being terminated. Currently fire coverage for the township is being provided by the Van Buren Township Fire Department. The department is unusual in that the firefighters elect their chief rather than have him appointed.

The controversy began in 1993 when then-trustee Renske DeKoker requested temporary custodianship of the fire station. At that time, DeKoker claimed that the department:

• Failed to report each run to the state fire marshal's office
• Misused gasoline and other equipment
• Failed to keep the firehouse clean
• Had firefighters under the age of 18
• Had only two state-certified firefighters
• Had failed to keep adequate track of expenses.

Although the request was not granted in full, DeKoker was given possession of the department's fire truck. The next year, DeKoker refused to renew the department contract, preferring to pay $1,000 a month to Van Buren for fire protection. The department continued to run on donations, but controversy continued to swirl when Van Buren firefighters ordered Indian Creek firefighters away from a fire scene over a debate about insurance.

Voters, in disapproval of the way the issue had been handled, voted DeKoker out of the trustee position in favor of Democrat Tracee Evans, but when township advisory board member Cameron Deckard resigned, DeKoker was named as his replacement. The advisory board (which also included Jack Knapp) wanted to continue with Van Buren, Evans wanted to reinstate the Indian Creek fire contract, and who had the right to make the decision became the subject of legal battles. (Melville Webb, a local property owner who was attempting to buy the land the firehouse was on, had filed suit claiming that Evans did not have that right). By this time, Van Buren trustee Sandra Duckworth was refusing to allow firefighters to respond to fire alarms in Indian Creek township.

In 1996, DeKoker and Knapp, a majority of the Indian Creek Trustee advisory board, dropped all funding for the fire department and dramatically reduced Evans' salary, while Webb gathered a petition of people wishing for the firehouse to close. After a shouting match at the fire department, the parties agreed to submit the dispute to mediation. Eventually a compromise was worked out for the 1998 budget, but Knapp resigned from the board in protest and Cheryl Munson took over as board president, Ron Cooper joining the board. In 1998, Democrat Samuel Hollingsworth (1936 - 2005) was elected trustee promising full support for the fire department. His wife Linda was appointed to replace him, and she was reelected in 2006.

In April of 2007, Ms. Hollingsworth terminated the contract between the township and the fire department, saying the station was providing inadequate coverage - a claim disputed by many. The final outcome has yet to be determined.

Former fire chiefs include:

• Walter Alkire
• Larry Hurst
• Jerry Hooten (Named 2004 Monroe County Firefighter of the year, but ousted not very long afterwards)
• Doug Thompson

Members of the Indian Creek fire board include Dee Owens and Pat Munson.