At the Sand Creek Township annual meeting, residents questioned the Jordan's spending on equipment for the Jordan Fire Department.

Town Board Chairman Cy Wolf gave a report about the township's relationship with the Jordan Fire Department, pointing out that 36 percent of the township's budget is used to pay its share of the fire department's costs. Last year, the township had 26 fire calls -- one of which was a house fire and one of which was a tractor fire.

The Jordan Fire Department is making several purchases this year, including a new fire hall, a used fire truck, and a used vehicle for the fire chief. The fire truck is a bargain, Cy Wolf said, but the township will be forced to pay its share of the cost.

Resident Pat Pitlick asked why the firefighters needed new equipment, and Wolf responded, "They do to their conventions, and they see all the new toys, and they've got to have one."

Then, resident Kevin Adamek, a firefighter, spoke up.

He explained that the fire department is unable to reach Jordan's tallest buildings with its ladder truck. It barely reaches to the top story of Schule Haus senior apartments, for example, Adamek said, so it's necessary that the growing city get a fire truck that has a 75-foot-tall ladder. The city council recently voted to accept a bid for the truck.

"We're trying to be prudent about it, but we've also got to raise taxes," Wolf said.