FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Who says county budget meetings are boring?
A tense, five-minute exchange between Allen County Councilwoman Lindsey Hammond and Consolidated Fire and EMS Chief Jeremy Bush seemed to encapsulate the weeks of debate over the scope and speed of fire consolidation, scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2027, for all of Allen County not served by the Fort Wayne Fire Department and Three Rivers Ambulance Authority.
Hammond has floated the possibility of pumping the brakes on consolidation until January 1, 2028, if officials could ensure Monroeville and Hoagland had adequate service as volunteerism rates decline…