Decatur's council approves grant application for breathing apparatuses

— City council members, at a brief meeting Monday night, gave fire chief David Flynt the go-ahead to apply for a grant to outfit Decatur firefighters with refurbished air packs.

The council passed a resolution allowing the fire department to apply for a $21,475 grant from the Arkansas Rural Development Commission for refurbished self-contained breathing apparatuses.

The devices are worn by firefighters to provide breathable air inside structure fires and include high-pressure air tanks, pressure regulators and masks.

The grant would pay for 100 percent of the costs of the new breathing apparatuses and the city’s only expense would be to pay grant writer Cassie Elliottfor her services, Flynt told the council.

The fire department currently has older model SCBA masks that are being phased out of many departments, Flynt said. The newer refurbished models cost about $900 each, compared to about $4,000 each for brand new air packs, he said.

The city can apply for up to $50,000, but Flynt explained that Elliott advised that the department would have a better chance of receiving the grant if it was under half of the maximum amount. The deadline for the grant application is Nov. 18.

Property Tax

In other business, the council passed a resolution to continue the present real estate and personal property tax rate of 5 mills.

The resolution was required so the BentonCounty Quorum Court can include Decatur’s tax levy in its ordinance along with county and school taxes. The ordinance will be enacted in November for 2012 tax collections.

The council passed the resolution without discussion.

Mike Barnett, manager of the parks, streets and animal control departments, reported that Decatur received $1,600 from FEMA for cleanup and temporary repairs to the Third Street bridge.

Barnett said the actual cost of temporarily repairing the damage was $2,200, but FEMA wasn’t initially expected to pay.

Barnett also reported that the paving of Second Street would begin some time next week. The street will be paved with a 2-inch overlay from the stage in the Old City Park until the road turns to gravel.

Water department manager Rocky Mills reported that his department has been keeping costs down by pumping more water from the city’s wells and buying less than half its water from the Benton/ Washington County Regional Public Water Authority.

Police Chief Terry Luker reported that he has been working with Linam to switch police officers over to the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System (LOPFI) as required by state law.

“There is a considerable difference in cost to the city,” Linam said, “We have no choice.”

Decatur firefighters have participated in the LOPFI Retirement program forsome time, but the Police Department has never been signed up, Luker said. Details of the new retirement plan will be brought before the council next month, he said.

News, Pages 11 on 10/12/2011