Chief Jack Reckner said his department has had to grow to meet the needs of its territory. Census figures show that Jeffersontown's population rose nearly 70 percent from 1980 to 2000, to 26,633 people, from 15,795. And there are many more people in the city during the day because of Bluegrass Industrial Park, where about 35,000 people work. Because the higher rate will produce a revenue increase of more than 4 percent, a hearing was held. Reckner said no member of the public attended it.
Property tax is the main source of revenue.
Reckner said the location of the newly completed station was chosen to secure a site near new neighborhoods and commercial developments. He said newer buildings are the least likely to catch fire, but the department wanted the site for when those buildings begin to age. The station, which was completed last month, is on Biggin Hill off Hurstbourne Parkway, just south of Taylorsville Road. Reckner said that spot was the last suitable one available on Hurstbourne all the way to the Fern Creek Fire District border. The city fired the original general contractor over a financial dispute, and that contractor's bonding agent has sued the fire department.