Grand Marais City Council okayed the purchase of a new fire truck and street sweeper at its March 28 meeting.
Chief Ben Silence and Aaron Mielke of the city’s fire department appeared before council to say that they were recently notified by FEMA that the city has been awarded a $209,950 FEMA grant to be used toward the purchase of a new fire truck. The approved project cost is $221,000, leaving the city to kick in 5 percent of the total, or $11,050.
Silence credited Mielke for filling out the application and following up on the paperwork, and said the process is now “surprisingly simple” for a federal program: the department has to get two bids for the new vehicle within 30 days.
In response to a question about the cost of the fire truck versus the amount of the grant, Silence said the department actually began pricing the trucks last summer, and the anticipated cost is between $190,000 and $195,000, so the grant ought to cover all of it. Silence also said that the department has already received some inquiries from interested manufacturers. The new tanker/ pumper truck will come fully outfitted and ready for service. Delivery is expected in about a year.
Council voted to accept the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant and go forward with the bidding process.
Lenny Bloomquist of the street department also attended the meeting to present bids that were submitted for the purchase of a “new” used street sweeper to replace the city’s deceased unit. That vehicle, which was purchased refurbished in 1990, was used for only a few hours last month to start the season before it died.
Fortunately, the city had planned on replacing it soon anyway, and budgeted $60,000. Upon reviewing quotes received from multiple vendors for used and refurbished sweepers, council approved the recommendation to purchase a 2001 Pelican from ABM Equipment & Highway Manufacturing of Hopkins at a cost of $43,000. According to information provided by the company, the vehicle is “reconditioned and repainted and ready to go.” It has 31,000 miles and about 6,600 hours on it.
Quotes on other street sweepers submitted for consideration ranged from $29,000 to $85,000. However, City Administrator Mike Roth said in a memo that the 2001 Pelican “has the combination of age, price and features that best meet our needs.”
In a related matter, the city received and opened four bids for the purchase of its old street sweeper. It was noted that parts for the machine cannot be found any more; the motor is still good but the drive train is bad. Darin Bloomquist submitted the high bid of $1,127.70, which council accepted.
In other business:
. At the request of parks manager Dave Tersteeg, council approved a resolution in support of a grant application submission for the DNR’s Local Trail Connections Program. Tersteeg said the state grant is designed to connect communities with desirable attractions, and “really suits us” as plans for the Rec Park’s Community Connection unfold. The money, he said, comes from dedicated lottery funding, and supports about eight or nine projects per year. If chosen for the award, the city would have to pay all of the costs up front, but would be eligible for up to 75 percent reimbursement and would have to guarantee maintenance of the trail for 20 years. Cost of the project now stands at just under $75,000.
At the request of Housing Administrator Nancy Grabko, council supported submission of a Small City Development Grant application for the Owner Occupied Rehabilitation and Downtown Business District Commercial Rehabilitation projects. If awarded the money, the city commits to leverage up to $25,000 in IRR Commercial Rehabilitation Loan Funds in support of four proposed projects.
• Council approved the second reading of an ordinance to amend the city’s zoning map, thus extending the Commercial/ Industrial district 66 feet farther south into property currently zoned Permanent Residential. The request was made by David Parsons to encompass cabins at the 1800 W. Highway 61 property which were built before the existing zoning was enacted.
. Council tabled a vote on the second reading of an ordinance governing PUDs in extraterritorial jurisdiction because there has been no response or input from the county.
. Council gave permission to the Cook County Farm and Craft Market to once again use the city’s parking lot adjacent to the Senior Center for its seasonal market this summer. The request is basically unchanged from last year, with the addition of a request that vendors do not park in the east end of the lot so as to allow parking spaces for businesses in the area.
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