Tipton City, Indiana

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Tipton County is like a colorful quilt, composed of patchwork of independent and vibrant communities.

Among them are Sharpsville to the north, Ekin to the south, Kempton to the west, and Windfall to the east.

At its heart is the City of Tipton, the county seat.

Binding them all together are a shared history, kinship, values, and bright future.

Fire Department

The City of Tipton Fire Department provides fire protection, prevention, public safety, emergency medical services, training and education to approximately 5,200 residents living within the 2.5 square miles of the City of Tipton.

The city’s first fire department was organized shortly after the founding of Tipton in 1844, when every resident of the town was appointed a member of the firefighting squad, pitching in when the need arose. A then, more modern fire department with a fire chief, eight firemen and two drivers for the horse-drawn fire wagon was established in 1894 after construction of the City Water Works was completed.

Today Fire Chief Joe Bitner oversees a staff of 13 full-time and five to seven auxiliary firefighters who provide fire, rescue and advanced life support services. Additional emergency personnel are available and called in as required. The fire station, located downtown at 227 E. Jefferson Street, houses its members and equipment, which includes a 2021 Spencer Custom Pumper (Engine 10); a 2010 Smeal 75-foot ladder truck (Ladder 10); a 2019 Ford E-450 Type III BLS Ambulance (Ambulance 10); a 2017 Ford E-450 type III BLS Ambulance (Medic 81). Tipton Fire Department provides the primary ALS ambulance service in conjunction with Seals Ambulance Service, and the primary BLS back-up ambulance service for all of Tipton County.

The department’s services also include fire prevention programs at the station and community schools, CPR and Fire Extinguisher training for businesses and individuals, home and business inspections, and pre-plans and medical stand-by assistance for special events, programs and fairs.

City Home Page

Welcome to the City of Tipton, Indiana, where its 5,000-plus residents relish their hometown’s close-knit, friendly atmosphere, as well as its proximity to the large, metropolitan areas of Indianapolis, 30 minutes to the south, and Kokomo, 20 minutes to the north.

Tipton is blessed with an abundance of virtues: a 30-acre park, a variety of sports venues, including an 18-hole municipal golf course, a family-owned movie theater, a modern public library, a winning school system, festivals, a community theater, a safe and secure environment, a state-of-the-art IU Health-run hospital, human infrastructure that strengthens the city’s quality of life, a bustling Main Street, a supportive business outlook, and much more.

Tipton thanks you for stopping by their website. Enjoy the visit!

County Home Page

Tipton County is situated in the heart of Indiana on 260 square miles of some of the state’s richest farmland and most beautiful countryside. The 16,000 Hoosiers who make Tipton County their home are proud stewards of the amenities and history they share.

The county was founded in 1844 by a small community of brave, hardworking pioneers, who looked at the swampy virgin forest of the Miami Territory and envisioned the possibilities of a land where they could settle, build their homes, forge their livelihoods, raise their families, and leave a legacy. Today, Tipton County embraces its bountiful history of agriculture, railroads, and manufacturing, yet remains ever mindful of a future that is still unfolding. That future may be best exemplified by the steps Tipton County has taken to foster controlled development, with a specific interest being taken at the intersection of U.S.31 and S.R. 28.

Tipton County thanks you for stopping by their website and invites you to stay awhile and explore. Please visit often — both virtually and in person.

City Council

The Tipton City Council is the city’s independent legislative body that works with the Mayor to adopt ordinances, policies, regulations, and resolutions for the city’s health and welfare. The City Council is a five-member board, elected by the City of Tipton voters every four years. Four of the council members represent an assigned council district, and one is at-large.

The City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month in the City Hall Council Chamber.

The Board of Works meets at noon on the second and fourth Monday of each month in the City Hall Council Chamber.

Click here to meet your Council Members.

Tipton County Emergency Management

Emergency Management Defined

Emergency management is the process of coordinating available resources to deal with emergencies effectively, thereby saving lives, avoiding injury, and minimizing economic loss.

History of Emergency Management

It all started when Congress enacted the Civil Defense Act of 1950, which created the Civil Defense. The Act was amended in 1979 and created the Federal Emergency Management Agency. States likewise enacted laws that provided for disaster planning and response. Title 10 of the Indiana Code created a State Emergency Management Agency and mandates that every jurisdiction within the state be protected by a local (preferably a countywide) emergency management agency.

Emergency Management Agency Responsibilities

Day-to-day functions of Tipton County Emergency Management are performed by the executive director, deputy director, administrative assistant, emergency management coordinator/planner, and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) coordinator. The office is located at 121 W. Madison Street, Suite A, Tipton, Indiana.

Tipton County Emergency Management assists public safety agencies in all types of disasters including natural (severe storms, tornadoes, floods, etc), technological/man-made (major fires, hazardous materials releases, etc.) and national security (enemy attack, terrorism, etc.). Tipton County Ordinance Title 10, Article 14 establishes and defines Tipton County Emergency Management to provide for all necessary and indispensable powers and procedures reasonably needed to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergency conditions.

Tipton County Emergency Management is the local link to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency, which assist in obtaining homeland security grant funding from state and federal agencies and provide financial assistance in the event of a significant disaster.

Working Partnership

The task of disaster management requires a close working partnership among all levels of government (federal, regional, state, county and local) and the private sector (business, industry, voluntary organizations and the general public). Planning is a key component of emergency management. Planning to deal with emergencies occurs at each government level and should take place at the personal or family level as well.

We are here to serve the citizens of Tipton County through:

A. Prevention

1. Conduct a risk assessment for county
2. Review and update the county risk assessment yearly
3. Update the CEMP, based upon the risk assessment, to prevent/lessen the effects of a manmade or natural disaster
4. Monitor and inform on incoming weather

B. Protection

1. Conduct a comprehensive planning assessment; develop single, countywide strategic, operational and tactical plans; and support local entities through planning and grants assistance
2. Conduct training with local responder, negotiate mutual aid agreement, and designate, in advance, evacuation routes that could be used and provide information to the public to help them protect themselves appropriately
3. Work with local business to develop disaster and continuity of operations plansProtection

C. Response

1. Activate the county Emergency Operations Center to provide officials with real-time information and resource support to save lives and prevent/reduce harm to people and property during an emergency.
2. Activate central coordination point for requesting mutual aid from surrounding counties, as well as state and federal resources.
3. Support local law enforcement by providing traffic control resources.

D. Recovery

1. Include both short- and long-term activities that restore vital services to minimum operating standards.
2. Provide technical assistance for local government, small business, and individual property owners.
3. Provide information on various grant/funding sources during the recovery phase.
4. Conduct damage assessments of the area and provide information to IDHS and FEMA

City Cemetery

Fairview Cemetery occupies 40 tranquil, pristine acres situated on Tipton’s southwest side. Of those acres, 32 are already developed, and eight more on the north side of the existing cemetery can still be developed. In addition to more than 15,000 gravesites, the cemetery is home to a mausoleum and a veterans’ memorial. 

The first five acres of Fairview Cemetery were platted on June 13, 1881. These original acres were divided into four sections known as blocks 3, 4, 5 and 6. There are now 17 platted sections in the cemetery and two private family triangles.

The Fairview Cemetery Corporation was formed June 1, 1954. On January 1, 1983, the City of Tipton assumed ownership of the cemetery for the sum of $1.00.

Cemetery Manager Diana Tomlinson oversees the maintenance of the cemetery grounds and mausoleum, funeral preparations and closings, installation of markers and monuments, and plot sales.

Families who wish to purchase a burial plot for a traditional, full burial or cremated ashes may contact Diana Tomlinson.

ONLINE BURIAL SEARCH

City Clerk-Treasurer

The Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Tipton is the city’s financial officer and clerk of records. Specifically, duties of the Clerk-Treasurer are:

• Account for all of the city’s funds, assets, and policies
• Serves as secretary to the City Council and Board of Works
• Maintain the public meeting calendar, City Council and Board of Works agendas and minutes, city ordinances and resolutions, and legal contracts between the city and other agencies
• Handle accounts payable
• Prepare payroll of city employees
• Issue solicitor permits
• Announce bid opportunities
• Provide notary public services
• Disburse checks for vendor claims and accounts payable
• Maintain human resource records and applications for employment
• Collect fees as set according to city ordinances
• Provide for review of financial data, including revenues, expenditures, city budgets, as well as the annual financial report
• Managing and maintaining public records

In Indiana, city Clerk-Treasurers are elected by the city’s voters every four years. Tipton’s Clerk-Treasurer, Tamera Clark, is assisted by her staff, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Lynn Ramsey, and Administrative Assistant Nicole Thompson. The office is located in the Tipton City Hall at 216 S. Main Street. The Clerk-Treasurers office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.

City Park

Diana Tomlinson, Park Manager

The Tipton City Park occupies 30 lush, shady acres on the city’s south side. Many park amenities await park visitors, such as a walking trail, recreational facilities, flowers, leafy, mature trees, benches, picnic tables, and two foot-bridges crossing Cicero Creek. A large assortment of playground equipment and a fenced-in play area for toddlers keep youngsters happy.

Since its establishment in 1914, the park and has been a popular venue for family reunions, celebrations, and recreational events. It is conveniently located south of downtown on State Road 19. All of the park amenities—including the swimming pool, golf course, baseball diamonds, various game courts, hiking trail, and the Boy Scout cabin and woods—are in close proximity and easily accessible by foot from the schools, the hospital, Fairview Cemetery, and the Tipton Historical Society Heritage Center. 

Also under the umbrella of the park department are the swimming pool, three baseball diamonds operated by the Tipton Pee Wee and Little League divisions, shuffleboard, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and horseshoe courts, and the Boy Scout cabin and woods.

The Pavilion tables and Boy Scout Cabin may be rented for special events. The gazebo also is a favorite site that can be reserved for community band concerts and weddings, as well as an attractive setting for high school graduation pictures.  The Scout Cabin can be rented year round with the park table rental timeline as April 1st - September 30th each year.  After that time, tables are based on a first come first served basis.

For information about fees and reservations, please refer to the "Seasonal Park Rentals" tabs under Services and Topics of Interest or call the Mayor’s office at (765) 675-7561. All rentals go through the Mayor's office located at City Hall, 216 S. Main St., Suite 400. 

The Tipton Park Department staff hours are Monday - Friday from 7:00 am - 3:00 pm.

City Plan Commission

City Pool

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON! 

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

The Tipton swimming pool, located on the north side of the city park at 225 W. South Street, is a 50-meter pool featuring a curly water slide (height and weight requirements apply),  two water basketball goals, a 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-foot, dive well, as well as tables, chairs, shade areas, and a well-stocked concession stand. Weather permitting, the pool is open Memorial Day through the start of the Tipton Community School Corp. school year.

A maintenance responsibility of the Tipton Street Department, the Tipton swimming pool was a project of the nation’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) program. It opened in 1938, providing area residents of all ages a fun, inexpensive way to spend the warm, sunny days of summer. In 1967, the city filled the original pool with concrete and completely rebuilt the facility. A new, larger pool and bathhouse, the ones in use today, opened on Memorial Day 1968.

Hours of Operation

The pool is open from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. seven days a week and 8:00-11:00 pm on Wednesday.  Hours of operation are subject to change. Please call (765) 675-4463, like us on Facebook, regarding changes in hours of operation due to weather and low attendance.

Information Technology

The Tipton County Office of Information Technology is the main contact point for computer hardware, software, and telephones, as well as first and often second-level support of Windows-based applications. The Information Technology Office evaluates both hardware and software for ALL county offices, and the office is also responsible for the installation of purchased hardware and some software.

Tipton County is currently running on a Windows-based server platform consisting of eight physical servers, a state-of-the-art internal phone system, and wireless Internet service throughout the courthouse. The Office of Information Technology also maintains several layers of security at the courthouse, both physical and electronic.

The office implemented a fiber-optic connection to link the courthouse phone and data network to the E911 Dispatch Center, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Jail.

The office also:

• Provides 24-hour, 7-day-a-week support for departments that operate around the clock.
• Provides support for special events.
• Provides services to audio-record public meetings.
• Provides support for offices’ special audio/video needs.
• Installs computer workstations, printers, etc.
• Maintains SQL databases and backups of data.
• Maintains data and phone network.
• Maintains fiber-optic connections.

Mayor's Office

Kegan Schmicker Mayor	Jenny Frodge Mayor's Administrative Assistant

Prior to his current role, Schmicker served as the CEO of the Tipton County Chamber of Commerce, helping to improve the local business climate, investing in leadership development, and pursuing community development projects. Prior to his time at the Chamber, Schmicker worked with the City of Tipton performing economic and community development projects to position Tipton for growth. Since 2017, Schmicker has helped the Tipton and Tipton County community secure nearly $500,000 in grants to launch a small business revolving loan fund, address local childcare challenges, install a mural, create the Downtown Revitalization Plan, and more.

In the community, Schmicker is a member of the Tipton Lions Club and member of the Board of Directors for Shafer Leadership Academy. Previously, Schmicker has served on the boards of the Tipton Main Street Association, Tipton County Chamber of Commerce, Encore Lifestyle and Enrichment Center, and a School Board Trustee for Tipton Community School Corporation.

The Mayor's Office oversees all city departments and employees.

Municipal Golf Course

Tipton Municipal Golf Course, located on the city’s far southwest side, adjacent to the city park, is a beautiful, 18-hole public facility. The course plays over 6,600 yards from the back tees with four sets of tees to accommodate all skill levels. Par is 71 (front nine 35, back nine 36).

Famed, native Hoosier golf course architect Bill Diddel designed the golf course’s first nine holes in 1935 and the back nine in 1964. Construction of the course began in 1935 as a project of the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) and was completed during the summer of 1936. Today, the course features eight dogleg holes with Buck and Cicero Creeks winding through several holes on the golf course. Tipton Golf Course also has over 1,500 trees bordering and shaping the fairways and over 25 bunkers to capture errant shots.

The course also offers:

• Driving Range

• Practice Putting Green

• Chipping Green

• Full-service clubhouse, golf cart and pull-cart rentals

• Snack Bar

• Private Golf Lessons

• Junior Golf Clinics

• Ladies Golf Clinics

• Outings/Tournaments/Leagues

Police Department

Chief of Police Jeff Stout

The Tipton Police Department is dedicated to providing the highest levels of service to the community to keep it safe, protect lives and property, prevent crime, preserve peace, maintain order, and enforce the laws in a manner consistent with the United States Constitution, Indiana state laws, and local ordinances. The department prides itself in working hand-in-hand with the citizens of the City of Tipton in its continuing effort to enhance the quality of life for all.

Tipton Police Chief Jeff Stout oversees the activities of thirteen full-time officers, a part-time officer, a community service/animal control officer, a public safety administrative coordinator, and a public safety administrative assistant. Department personnel consists of certified instructors and specialty teams, including firearms, sniper, K-9, UAS (drone), EVOC, S.T.O.P.S., physical tactics, D.A.R.E., and general topics. Chief Stout, along with the entire department, is available for a variety of community outreach programs and is ready to serve you, whatever your need.

The police department accepts cash, check, electronic payment or money order. 

The department’s administrative staff can help you obtain copies of:

Bicycle Tags
Bicycle tags cost $1 each and assist the department in returning your bicycle to the proper person in the event your bicycle is lost or stolen.

Crash Reports
Crash reports from the state cost $10 each. Because they take awhile to obtain, please allow us ample time when making your request. Crash reports also can be purchased online at www.buycrash.com for $12.

Dog Tags
There are no charges for dog tags; however, in the event your pet is lost or missing, it makes the return of your pet much more likely by our animal control officer if your pet is registered with the department.

Golf Cart Licenses
Golf cart licenses cost $25 each. Before the department can issue the license, the golf cart must be inspected by an officer. Owner must also provide proof of insurance. Licenses must be renewed every year for operation in the City of Tipton limits.

Gun Permits
Fees for gun permits vary. Click “Indiana Handgun Permits” link below for details. Four-year or lifetime permits are available. See “Indiana Handgun Permits” link for additional information.

VIN Checks
VIN checks for those who live within the City of Tipton cost $5 for any vehicle with a motor. We do not charge for VIN checks on trailers. VIN checks for motor-driven vehicles can be paid for only during office hours.

These items are available by applying in person at the Tipton Police Department during office hours—8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday (excluding holidays).

Street Department

The Tipton Street Department is responsible for maintaining the city’s streets, sidewalks, and alleys and performing seasonal leaf pick and snow removal.

In addition, it replaces and maintains traffic signs, provides trash pickup, curbside recycling, and yard waste disposal, and is a resource for Fairview Cemetery and the Park Department, for which it supplies equipment, labor, experience, and general information.

The Tipton Street Department was established around 1872 and undertook a series of major street improvements. Originally, Tipton’s streets were made of dirt and gravel. In 1890, Tipton became the first town in the state with a street paved entirely of brick. Today, many of our city streets are underlain by those original bricks.

Municipal Services Superintendent Dylan Dietrick directs the department, which is housed in the city garage, 500 Green Street, and is open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.

Assessor's Office

The Tipton County Assessor is responsible for three major roles associated with property values, property taxes and property audits. The roles are: 

1. Assessing the market value for all real estate parcels located in the county
   Assessing officials must follow Indiana Code and rules established by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). All real estate properties in Indiana are valued using a mass appraisal system. Every year, Indiana counties are required to perform a trending analysis of real properties. The analysis is a way to assess property values and account for the changes in the marketplace. Thus, if the real estate sales in a particular neighborhood over a 14-month period show a fluctuation up or down, a factor is applied to adjust the assessed values accordingly.
2. Auditing personal property returns
   Personal property returns are self-assessments, which should be filed with the Assessor’s Office by May 15 each year to avoid penalties. Self-assessment forms are available at the Assessor’s Office or the DLGF website. Assessor’s Office staff are happy to assist taxpayers in completing the forms.
3. Determining the assessed values approved for real and personal property tax abatements and tax-exempt properties.

If a taxpayer wants to initiate an appeal, they may contact the Assessor’s Office for information on how to file.

Shannon Cassons, Tipton County Assessor, oversees a staff of three and is elected for a four-year term by the residents of the county.

Auditor's Office

The County Auditor is an Indiana Constitutional office holder according to Article 6, Section 2. Elected for a four-year term of office, limited to two or eight years of service in a twelve-year period. 

Overview of County Auditor's Responsibilities 

• Maintains the official ledger of the County: Receipts, Appropriations, and Reimbursements. The Fiscal official for all county funds and grants. Audits all county department claims. Administers payroll & maintains all county personnel files.
• Compiles budget for County Council approval, including advertising the proposed and approved rates.
• Records minutes for the County Council and County Commissioners keep official records of contracts, bonds, minutes, and indebtedness.
• Maintains exemptions and deductions.
• Maintains TIF records and oversees Tax Abatements.
• Transfers all property deeds. Certifies property owners.
• Distributes tax dollars to taxing units in the county. Prepares settlement spreadsheet for Auditor of State.

CASA

CASA Program

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a nationwide network of 949 community-based programs that
recruit, train and support committed volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers are empowered by the courts to offer critical information to ensure that children’s rights and needs are met while in foster care. The advocate’s relationship with the child continues until the child is placed in a loving, permanent home. For many abused children, their CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.

Tipton County CASA volunteers advocate for an average of 64 abused or neglected children involved each year in the Tipton County court system. As many of the children are moved into foster care, they are scared, confused, lonely and sad. The adults they trusted most are no longer there. If not for their CASA volunteer, the children would have no voice in what happens to them.

The Tipton County CASA program is affiliated with the Indiana State Office of GAL/CASA. It has a waiting list of local children who need a CASA volunteer to help them through a traumatic time. The Tipton County office always needs volunteers to ensure that all the children in the county’s court system have a CASA advocate they know and trust to help them through this confusing period in their lives.

Please consider volunteering for this important program.  For more information about CASA in Tipton County, please visit our website at tiptoncountycasa.com and our Facebook page @tiptoncountyCASA.org.  You can also contact Shelley Haymaker, Tipton County CASA Director at (317) 776-0480, or by email at casa@tiptoncounty.in.gov.

The State Office of GAL/CASA is a program of the Indiana Supreme Court, Division of State Court Administration, provides funding, training and support for local programs across Indiana.

For more information about the National CASA Association, Click HERE.

Emergency Communications Center (E911)

Tipton County Emergency Communications Center, also known as Tipton County E911, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is responsible for answering all 911 and non-emergency calls for the citizens of Tipton County, Indiana. Communications personnel also dispatch police, fire, and emergency medical services for the City of Tipton and rural areas of Tipton County. The citizens of Tipton County are provided quick access to emergency services by a team of 38 personnel.

The Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is the county’s central command post to manage and coordinate major events and emergency responses. Equipped with three wall-mounted LCD screens displaying situational awareness applications, the center was designed for command and control purposes. The ECC provides complete communications capabilities for all police, fire, medical, city, and county emergency agencies. The center operates a world-class voice and data radio system, providing police and EMS/fire personnel on the street, with valuable information to help them respond quickly to emergency situations.

Sunguard (CAD) software enables personnel to display stored or current information and connect externally to state and federal databases. GPS mapping software allows the ability to track the location of 911 callers via landlines or GPS-capable devices.

The ECC utilizes language interpretation services that can translate more than 140 languages in the event a 911 is received and the operator encounters a language barrier. The center also is equipped with Teletypewriter (TTY), used by the hearing-impaired to read voice communications converted to text.

Three workstations are equipped with a high-end radio switch, allowing all public safety agencies to communicate or create an audio bridge for patching communications during a crisis. Each position is equipped with six PLANAR 20-inch flat screens with added touch-screen capabilities. T1 uplink allows the ECC to send and receive data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as well as state and other entities throughout Indiana.

Today, Tipton County E911 protects life and property by operating a world-class public safety communications system and by coordinating and managing emergency situations. The agency continues to evolve as a progressive communications and operations center dedicated to the community it serves.

Our Mission

Our Mission is to serve as the communications link between the citizen and public safety agencies; accurate identification of the citizen’s location and public safety response needs; quick and accurate activation of public safety services; to provide communications support and coordination for all city/county public safety and applicable support agencies. In carrying out our mission, we recognize that service is our one and only product and we share a common, ongoing goal to provide it at the most superior level possible. We also recognize that our strength and success are tied directly to the individual and unique contributions of each of us working in a spirit of cooperation and teamwork with our public safety association both within and outside the 911/Communications Department.

Agencies Served

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