LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. — City officials have issued a state of emergency after all but a handful of Lawrenceburg's 55 volunteer firefighters walked out in a dispute over equipment and construction of a new firehouse.

        During a heated meeting Monday with city officials, most of the firefighters said they would not answer calls until the issue is resolved.

        “Right now, we have a skeleton crew running with Lawrenceburg,” Fire Chief Dennis Carr said Tuesday. “They've promised us a firehouse since 1982.”

        Fire crews from neighboring Greendale and Aurora will join the remaining Lawrenceburg firefighters to provide coverage, the chief said.

        City Clerk-Treasurer Grace A. Case and allies on council are battling Mayor Paul Tremain over the firehouse and other issues.

        The city was supposed to buy property from Perry Todd on Tate Street for the project, but Ms. Case has delayed purchasing the property because she says the $300,000 price is too much. The average of two appraisals shows the land to be worth $163,000, she said. “I legally am obligated not to pay more than the average of the two appraised values,” she said. “That's what we wanted to pay for that lot, plus were we offering Mr. Todd $40,000 to $50,000 to move.”

        Council cannot agree on a number of issues, including the firehouse, which is proposed in an area that would include the police station, city pool and adult center.

        “The city and Fire Department have been trying to get this for several years,” said Brenda Johnson, administrative assistant to the municipal development director. “The area could be a government center, near Walnut Street, our main street.”

        Meantime, Chief Carr and five city officials who are also firefighters now comprise the department.

        The department serves about 5,000 residents, plus several large businesses including the Argosy Casino.

        Life squad service is not affected by the walkout, Chief Carr said. “My people are pretty mad,” he said. “They're getting tired of it.”

        The new fire station would replace two buildings that date to the 1890s, the chief said.

        Randy McNutt contributed to this report.

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