Published: May 16, 2008 03:07 pm            

Council OKs CFD projects

CAMANCHE — The Camanche City Council has approved motions to allow the Camanche Fire Department to improve community services by purchasing new equipment.

Fire Chief Dave Schutte addressed the council Tuesday night regarding a proposal to purchase a new fire truck and a thermal imaging camera. According to a letter of proposal to the council, the fire truck the department would like to replace is a 1978 FTI 1,000 gallons-per-minute pumper, which is showing “signs of aging.” In the letter, Schutte said the city could order a 2008 1,500 GPM pumper, estimated to cost $320,000, using $195,000 currently set aside in a capital outlay, with an additional $80,000 budgeted for the new fiscal year to begin July 1 and another $80,000 next year to replace the 30-year-old truck.

Schutte said if the city orders the truck by the end of this year, the truck will fall under current National Fire Protection Association regulations, and warned that by waiting, the cost of the truck could rise. He said the price for equipment increases an average of 10 percent each year. Schutte said he thinks it in the city’s best interests to order now or the city could pay more than $60,000 above the current estimated price.

Council member Trevor Willis said he thinks placing the fire truck order now is a good idea, noting that the cost savings could be significant and in replacing the last of the older fire trucks, the city would not have to purchase a new truck for approximately 20 years. Council member Linda Kramer agreed, saying ordering the truck now and saving the city money would be a good business move. She remarked she thinks the council should thank Schutte for his hard work and diligence in securing quality equipment at a good price and applying for grants to ease the burden of the expense on the city.

Regarding the thermal imaging camera, Council member Ken Fahlbeck asked if the city previously had a thermal camera. Schutte replied that a helmet-based camera was purchased several years ago, but the camera does not work so well anymore and noted that technology has advanced significantly since the original was purchased. He said the new hand-held model, estimated to cost $5,200, is a lot more useful and reliable. Schutte said some donations have been set aside, but the cost was not figured into the coming fiscal year budget, and he would like to purchase the camera by the end of the year. The council approved a motion authorizing Schutte to purchase the thermal camera if funding can be found in the budget.

Earlier in the meeting, the council discussed an issue regarding a fire code issue at Mill Creek Apartments. City Attorney Tom Lonergan said he spoke with County Attorney Mike Wolf, who would be contacting the State Fire Marshal’s Office and would report back to Lonergan. City Administrator Tom Roth explained that while there are fire code issues involved, the state fire marshal’s office was forced to drop the issue because there was no action by the state’s attorney’s office or the county attorney’s office.

Fahlbeck asked what good it does the state to have a fire code in place if it can’t be enforced. Schutte said the issue is that a building was not brought up to code and the matter has been going on since December 2004. He commented that fire code issues were addressed at other buildings within the city during that time and rhetorically asked what message it sends to those who have complied with the law. Schutte said the city needs closure and he believes the matter might have been concluded if Lonergan hadn’t had to recuse himself from the case citing an understandable conflict of interest. He said it had been suggested to attempt another meeting with the building’s owner in an attempt to reach an agreeable plan of closure to obtain compliance, but said if no action is taken, the city can hire an attorney to address the matter.

Lonergan said the state fire marshal’s office suggested handling the issue through the county attorney’s office and the city is waiting on word from Wolf about the status of the matter. Mayor Jim Robertson suggested the city allow the county attorney’s office a couple more weeks to look into the matter and request status information for the June 3 council meeting. Fahlbeck agreed that if no movement is made on the case soon, the city should look at hiring an attorney. Schutte said that no matter what happens, his position that a violation of the code has occurred and he wants the council’s support in upholding the fire code. Robertson agreed that the matter poses a safety issue and needs resolution.

Later in the agenda, Roth discussed a fire department recommendation to install Knox boxes on city buildings. Schutte said commercial building owners place the boxes on the exterior of the building and through a special fire department key, emergency responders can gain access to a building without having to contact a keyholder or break a window or door. He suggested the city install Knox boxes on City Hall, the Camanche Public Library, Garner Hall and the historical society building.

        

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