Township merger work just beginning

Indiana legislators just decided that Wayne County will have fewer than the current 15 townships by January 2029, but it’s still unclear which ones will consolidate and how that could impact residents.

Township government is at the closest level to residents. Township trustees can offer relief funding such as rent, utility and burial funds directly to their neighbors, whose struggles they often know. Townships also can provide services such as overseeing fire protection and cemeteries.

On Thursday, March 5, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed Senate Bill 270 into law that requires the merger process to begin this year.

By the end of December 2026, Indiana Department of Local Government Finance must compile 2024-2025 data on each township, taking into consideration eight items. DLGF will assign a township points based on its government’s performance. Some criteria include whether the township provides emergency aid, operates a fire department or emergency medical services agency, files financial reports on a timely basis, and has had candidates in recent township trustee elections.

If townships earn four or more points, they must merge. City governments could take over township functions, such as when the township is mostly within city limits. For instance, Jackson Township Trustee Lyndon Wicker said he believes the western Wayne County township office will be able to continue operating, but that’s uncertain until DLGF finishes its analysis.

Townships can appeal DLGF’s scores, and county commissioners will make final decisions.

Townships also can begin voluntary mergers, especially if they’re struggling to find candidates to run for trustee or three board positions. Wicker said all positions would be at-large, so any resident from the new combined township would be eligible to run.

Wicker and Center Township Trustee Vicki Chasteen both said they support efficiencies, and if changes needed to be made, they and Indiana Township Association supported SB 270. It was more of a compromise than House Bill 1315, which required mergers based on population, budget and geography.

Chasteen said she plans to rely on ITA’s expertise and conversations with county government officials because the legislation didn’t provide a roadmap for mergers.

Combining townships can be complex because townships can have different tax bases, funds and rates. Some also use accounting software designed for townships, while others might use other computer programs or paper ledgers.

Wicker said trustees are proud of their service, noting townships were Indiana’s first form of government. Townships previously also oversaw schools as well, but as those responsibilities have grown, school boards were created.

However, trustees’ responsibilities have continued to grow in high-poverty communities.

Center Township helped 104 families last year, and requests for assistance were the highest since she began that role in 2018, Chasteen said.

Wicker acknowledges that applications for trustee aid can be intimidating as they ask for personal financial information, but they need to confirm resources are needed. Residents can qualify for aid if their earnings are up to 150% of the poverty level.

Trustees also can use discretion to provide aid in extreme circumstances such as illness, a death in the family or other unexpected financial hardship. Wicker said trustees are probably the only government entity that can use their discretion when finalizing aid, and they know the situations their neighbors are experiencing.

Wicker said clients sometimes cry when learning they qualify for aid because of the stresses they’re under, and sometimes he’s almost moved to tears as well after learning about their challenges.

“When they leave here and you know you’ve lightened the burden in their life, it makes me feel good,” Wicker said. “When you help some elderly couple who don’t know where to turn to, you make their year with what you’ve done, and that’s everything.”

In addition to offering direct financial assistance to qualifying recipients, trustees offer referrals for groceries, utility payments and other needs. Jackson Township provided direct aid to  25-30 people last year, but made more than 100 referrals.

Wicker said townships don’t get credit for making connections as part of their DLGF assessment.

For example, he’s glad he could help a resident needing home repairs. By making a connection with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the resident received a new furnace and a reduced-price roof.

Some townships already collaborate with other townships or government units on projects. For instance, Jackson Township helped Cambridge City Volunteer Fire Department purchase an aerial truck that serves both areas. The township also was a major donor for the new playground in East Germantown and helped Dublin purchase a siren to alert residents about severe weather.

Jackson Township also pays Jefferson Township $6,000 per year so its residents in need can visit Jefferson Township’s food pantry in Hagerstown twice a month.

Wicker said it would be silly to operate two township food pantries so close together and that the partnership works well, especially when combined with nonprofit resources such as Cambridge City Christian Church’s food and clothing pantries.

Center Township has six folders of information about resources and offers connections as well. Township leaders serve as a clearinghouse for resources that residents don’t know exist, Wicker and Chasteen said.