Nudged along by a drama-free meeting held by the Porter County Board of Commissioners Thursday evening, the West Porter Township Fire Protection District and the Lakes of the Four Seasons Volunteer Fire Force entered into a contract for fire and EMS services with advanced life support capability for 2026.

The commissioners also promised to address the funding challenges that had the two parties at loggerheads since July with the formation of a Blue Ribbon Committee to study the complex topic of providing services to an area that involves three government entities and fading financial support while straddling a county line.

Less than two hours after Thursday’s special meeting, representatives from the West Porter Township Fire Protection District and the Lakes of the Four Seasons Volunteer Fire Force reached a tentative contract agreement. (Shelley Jones/Post-Tribune)

Glenn Gritzon, a 21-year resident of the Porter County side of LOFS, sat near the back of the commissioners’ full chamber late Thursday afternoon waiting for the meeting to begin. His sentiments are representative of many of his fellow aging neighbors for whom access to first responders at an advanced life support level is top of mind. “There’s things you count on when you get a little older and stability’s a nice factor,” he said.

Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, then took the floor. He told the audience the board, which appoints the five-member WPTFPD board, had been trying to address conflict between the fire district board and the fire department for the better part of three years.

He admitted that a revolving door of fire board members had not solved the problem. “We can’t leave this room tonight without agreeing to a short-term solution,” he said. “Put down the swords, the finger-pointing, the disagreements.”

Lawyers for the two parties then took turns speaking.

LOFSVFF Board Attorney Nathan Vis, who has represented the department since 2012, told the commissioners “rampant growth” and “soaring costs” along with decreasing volunteerism have increased the need to fund a paid fire force. He said the department can’t be expected to operate on less than last year’s full-service advanced life support contract of $320,000.

He argued that his client needed approximately $350,000. “The dollars are there,” he said, adding that a rumor that cumulative funds cannot be used is untrue. He said the fund can be used for infrastructure and equipment. “I’ve got the Indiana code in front of me,” he said of the defining law.

“Good lawyer,” a woman in the audience murmured.

For his part, WPTFPD Attorney Adam Sworden said Senate Enrolled Act 1 was directly impacting the district’s finances. He said the district lost approximately $27,000 to $30,000 in the tax levy published Nov. 14. “Moving forward, we’re not likely to receive an increase,” he said.

While he wasn’t the board attorney during the last contract negotiations, Sworden said it was his understanding those figures were discussed and agreed to when talks of the formation of a fire territory between the district, the Town of Winfield, and Winfield Township were still alive and well, with attendant projected increases in funding.

Sworden said expanding the size of the district would ultimately provide better services. “If you expand that, you’re pulling in more rooftops, more assessed value,” he said.

Commissioner Barb Regnitz, R-Center, asked if there was enough runway to plan for 2027. “The runway to produce funds would be exceedingly tight,” answered County Attorney Scott McClure. “I think we would be in a definite squeeze to get that done.”

Biggs said he wasn’t concerned and also asked McClure for his interpretation of Vin’s statements that the cumulative fund could be used for capital purchases. “That’s correct,” McClure answered.

“You want to go home knowing you go home and you call 911 somebody’s going to pick up,” Biggs told the crowd. “Don’t worry about that.”

“We do worry about that,” replied a man in the full-capacity audience.

By the time the meeting wrapped up, members of the negotiating committees on both sides were preparing to enter into another round of talks down the hall. Less than two hours later, they had come to an agreement that calls for a $289,000 contract for 2026, which includes ALS-level care.

“It was pretty quick,” said Gary Elliott, board president of the LOFSVFF “I think we were always very close in my opinion and we just had to do the final steps.”

“Everybody’s happy. There was give and take on both sides,” said Craig Klauer, chair of the WPTFPD board.

Biggs said he would like a seven to nine-member Blue Ribbon Committee appointed by the end of February to explore better supporting the district and fire force. He said expanding the district in some way is a given. “There’s just simply not enough rooftops,” he said. “You should definitely have more resources to handle that call volume.

“We are really going to do a deep dive,” he added. “What’s the difference between a district and a territory?” He said officials from the town of Hebron would also be queried on their interest in a partnership.

Both the WPTFPD and LOFSVFF representatives were heartened by the promise of a solution. “I think we’re all relieved bringing this to the attention of the commissioners and that they will hopefully be able to provide more assistance to the district to secure more funding for this area,” Elliott said.

“I’m glad that they’re taking that approach,” Klauer added. “They’re listening to us, the constituents, the residents, so A+ on them.”

Denis Shultman, founder of the West Porter Township Fire Territory Discussion Group on Facebook, was conflicted. “Now I look forward to the future,” she said after the meeting, and also, “I don’t know that I’m optimistic. It’s going to take a lot of work. There’s no simple solution.”

Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/agreement-reached-by-lofs-fire-west-porter-fire-district/