Mitchell City Council to authorize money for new fire truck purchase

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• Mitchell City Council agenda

The Mitchell City Council plans to authorize spending $749,000 for a new ladder truck for the Fire Division during the council meeting tonight at City Hall.

The city will pay that to Heiman Fire Equipment, of Sioux Falls, when the truck is delivered. The new truck was brought to the city in January when the City Council approved the purchase. On Monday, the final step will be taken to issue the money to pay for the truck, which Assistant Fire Chief Paul Morris said will be delivered in a week or so.

The current ladder truck, a 1982 model, was purchased in 1983 for $238,000, according to Public Safety Chief Lyndon Overweg. It has an 85-foot ladder that allows firefighters to battle fires over both tall and wide structures, but it is old and basically worn out, Overweg and Morris have told the council.

“It’s on borrowed time,” Mayor Ken Tracy said last summer. “They have to use some baling wire and duct tape to get it to pass inspection every year.”

Morris said the old truck will be kept around for a time as the Fire Division staff gets used to the new truck, and gets ready to completely transition to it. Then the 31-year-old truck will be offered for sale.

The city sought a Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant to help pay for the truck, but failed three times to get the money. In the end, the city footed the entire bill.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, 612 N. Main St.

In other agenda items, the council plans to:

• Set a March 14 date to receive and consider bids for the Mitchell Ice & Activity Arena addition, Project 2013-3, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Puetz Corp., of Mitchell, is designing the addition. The city will hire other firms to do the work as a second sheet of ice is added.

• Set a March 18 date to receive and consider sealed bids for surplus property, Lots 13 through 16, Block Five in Rowley’s Second Addition, including the portion of the adjoining vacated alley that is now part of the property, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The land is valued at $35,000, according to a three-man appraisal committee.

• Set a March 18 date to receive and consider sealed bids for surplus property, the south half of Lot Eight, Block Two of E.B. Bracey’s Addition, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The committee assessed the land at $7,500.

• Set a March 27 date to receive and consider bids for sidewalk, Project 2013-4; and irrigation supply and install for Cadwell and Pioneer parks, Project 2013-30, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

• Award bids for recycled asphalt and concrete crushing, Project 2013-9; and golf carts, Project 2013-19, and two greens mowers, Project 2013-20; and a soccer complex mower, Project 2013-23.

• Hold a hearing on the Norway lift station project for a grant from the state Consolidated Water Facilities Construction Program or a loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program.

• Consider adopting Resolution 3074, bridge re-inspection by the South Dakota Department of Transportation, designating Brosz Engineering Inc. for the inspection work.

• Consider adopting Resolution 3075, a resolution giving approval to sewer facilities improvements, and giving approval to issue and sell a revenue bond to finance the improvements.

• Hear the second reading of and consider approving Ordinance 2429, supplemental re-appropriations for several city projects.

• Hear the second reading of and consider approving the 2012 Annual Financial Report.

• Purchase off a state bid a 4-by-4 pickup for the Street Division for $23,146 from Lamb Chevrolet.

• Review applications from the Palace City Lions Club for special event malt beverage and wine licenses at the Corn Palace for three shows: April 13 for Hairball, April 14 for Clint Black and May 16 for Willie Nelson.

• Consider the application of Dan’s Pro Shop, owned by Dan and Jackie Sabers, for a special event license at the Corn Palace and City Hall on April 26 for the Louie Anderson show.

• Approve these pay estimates:

Longhorn Bar Demolition, Project 2012-36, contracted to L.L. Jirsa, architect. Pay estimate 4 in the amount of $1,762.05.

Library renovations, Project 2013-7, also contracted Jirsa. Pay estimate 1 in the amount of $14,297.

New landfill monitoring, Project 2013-29, contracted to Leggette, Brashears & Graham. Pay estimate 1 in the amount of $3,211.86.

Airport snow removal equipment building, Project AIP ’25, contracted to Mueller Lumber Company. Change order 5 in the amount of $6,396, increasing the contract amount of $411,617.

• Hear an invocation from a New Home Lutheran Church representative.

Tags: city council, news, updates, local, mitchell, fire