FIRE COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, April 20, 2006
CALL TO ORDER: Frank Lawlor called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mrs. Alice Van Tasel, Mr. David Palmer, Rev. Anthony Bruno, Mr. Carl Rohrbach, Mr. Frank Lawlor, Chief Bill Meier, Fire Marshal Walter Summers.
MINUTES APPROVAL: The minutes of the March 17th meeting were approved unanimously
CORRESPONDENCE: None
A discussion was held prior to the “official meeting” during which the Fire Chief and Fire Marshal reviewed a proposed ordinance that would assure access to water from all new development properties within Somers. Mr. Summers agreed to review the proposals with the Town Planning office and return to the full Fire Commission with a concrete proposal for our May meeting.
FIRE CHIEF:
·
Three members of the department traveled to Allentown
Pa. to meet with the manufacturer of the new tanker to review specs. The Chassis is expected to be delivered in
the next few weeks.
·
Problems with the heating system of the building
continue to plague us. We recently paid
$500 to pump out all of the oil in the tank to make sure that sludge was not
the problem. It was found to be
clean. Our Preventive maintenance
contract will not be renewed. We need
someone to come up with long term solutions and “fixes” to these problems
rather than simply paying for short term solutions to problems. It may be fair to say that we have spent
more money in repairs to the heating system and excess fuel consumption than it
would have cost us to install a new system.
The temperature in the building is very hard to regulate.
·
The chief will try to gather figures for total
expenditures on the heating system over the life of the building to help
determine the proper actions.
2006-
2007 BUDGET UPDATE:
·
The current years budget continues to be tight.
·
It appears that by transferring funds between line
items we will be able to achieve our budgetary goals.
·
Expenditures for fuel and electricity are substantially
short but we will make up for these short falls stopping all spending that is
not absolutely necessary
·
The Ambulance budget is in similar shape.
·
The Chief provided the Commission with the latest
2006-2007 budget proposals that had been provided by the Town Treasurer. The increase accepted by the Board of
Selectmen was approx. $15, 955. If the
Town from the State receives unexpected funds we may be able to add funds back
to some of these accounts.
·
The Community vote will be in early May.
During our November presentation of out Five year Plan, The Fire Commission promised the Board of Selectmen, The Board of Finance and the Planning and Zoning Commission that we would follow up with specific plans and possible numbers associated with our proposal to add Two (2) Fire Substations to Somers. The Fire Commission discussed these costs and expectations and drafted a memo that will be forwarded to these other boards. (Copy attached). In reviewing this update all interested parties should refer to our detailed 5-year plan.
In the course of this planning discussion it was re-emphasized by the chief and supported by the Fire Commission that as we continue to see growth in the population of Somers and the growth of our commercial development we will eventually (sooner rather than later) need a “tower truck”. The board began discussions about possible sources of funds and/or possible fees that could be used to help defray the cost of this “big ticket item”
ADJOURMENT:
A motion was made by Fr. Bruno, seconded by Mrs. Van Tasel and unanimously approved to adjourn at 8:15