Madison council approves firefighter pension enrollment, airport fund and transfers; tables fee amendment

The Madison City Council voted on May 6 to begin enrolling the city’s new full-time firefighters in the 1977 Police Officers and Fire Fighters Pension and Disability Fund and approved two airport-related ordinances, council members said.

The council approved Resolution 2026-3C, which initiates the city’s enrollment of firefighters into the 1977 PERF fund administered through Indiana Public Retirement Systems (INPRS). Staff said the city must create a separate firefighter pension fund because Madison previously did not have a full-time firefighting pension plan. Council confirmed the budget contains funding added in the appropriation that created the department’s new chief position. A motion to approve was made and the measure passed by roll-call vote with all present members voting yes.

The council also passed Ordinance 2026-8C, a housekeeping transfer moving expenditures that had been charged to the wrong fund back into the correct airport account. The city described the change as a cleanup to align accounting between funds.

Council then approved Ordinance 2026-9C, sponsored by Councilwoman Carla Krebs, to establish a non-reverting hangar cumulative fund at the Madison Regional Airport so airport revenues can be set aside for construction and maintenance of a new hangar. Council described the ordinance as a simple administrative step to allow the airport to retain and use collected funds for the hangar project.

Separately, the council moved to table a proposed fee-charge amendment that originated with the plane commission because the required advertisement and public hearing were delayed. The public hearing was rescheduled for May 19 and the ordinance was tabled until that meeting.

Votes at a glance
- Resolution 2026-3C (join 1977 PERF firefighter fund): Roll-call — Patrick Tavanagh, Carla Krebs, Lucy Dillo, Josh Schaefer, Jim Bartlett, Josh Wilbur — all voted yes; Joel Storm absent. Outcome: approved.
- Ordinance 2026-8C (appropriation/revenue transfers related to airport): Roll-call — unanimous yes among present members. Outcome: adopted.
- Ordinance 2026-9C (non-reverting hangar cumulative fund for Madison Regional Airport): Roll-call — unanimous yes among present members. Outcome: adopted.
- Fee-charge amendment (ordinance 2026-10C): Motion to table; public hearing moved to May 19. Outcome: tabled.

Council members and staff said the pension paperwork will be entered into INPRS promptly so the firefighter position can be enrolled, and that the airport fund and transfers are administrative actions to align accounting and allow the city to set aside funds for a hangar. The council adjourned at the end of the meeting.