Citizen's Advisory Committee Members Announced, Interlocal Fire Protection Agreement Approved

Dearborn County Commissioners met on Tuesday to address a couple important issues

(Dearborn County, Ind.) - Dearborn County Commissioners met on Tuesday for a Citizen Review Committee update and to approve an interlocal fire protection agreement with the City of Harrison. 

In June, Dearborn County Commissioners announced they were seeking individuals to serve on a Citizen's Advisory Committee to review and give a recommendation to the Commissioners regarding the possible amendments to Article 19 of the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance relating to Solar Energy Systems - Commercial (SES-C) and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as well as the creation of a new Article as it relates to Data Centers.

On Tuesday, Commissioners announced the six individuals appointed to the committee. 

• Pro: Zach Scholl, Eric Tackman
• Neutral: Robert Monague, Jenny Bolak
• Anti: Emily Hartman, Robert Ruan 

There were 26 total applicants, all of which were scored on a scale of one to 25. Commissioners said if any of these individuals are unable to fulfil committee duties, they will choose the next highest scored applicant to take their place. 

"The Board of Commissioners recognizes that public participation is vital to ensure that any changes to the ordinance reflects the goals, vision, and values of the residents and business owners within Dearborn County, reads a portion of the resolution. 

An interlocal agreement with the City of Harrison was also approved. Harrison Fire has long provided coverage near the U.S. 52 corridor of Dearborn County, where the county doesn't have much coverage. 

The agreement did come with a slight cost increase of six percent. 

"It's around $180,000 for the year, which for the area they cover is a good investment for the county," said Commissioner Duane Bischoff.

Harrison Fire Chief William Hursong said the six percent increase barely covers the cost of one full-time employee for Harrison. 

"I know that is a little tough, but we are seeing the same increases across the board. We treat that whole area like ours. So, if we get an auto accident, we are sending a full complement," said Hursong. 

Tuesday's meeting can be viewed at Commissioner's meeting August 4, 2026