HIGHFILL — With no old or new business on the agenda, the Highfill City Council on June 13 heard department reports and approved spending money to finish the fire station and to trim and remove trees from the city park.
Council members unanimously approved spending up to $1,100 from the city's savings to trim park trees with dead, hanging branches and to remove two trees which are dead. Vernon Reams, the city's street and maintenance department supervisor said he had received the price of up to $1,100 from Adam McGhee for the work. He said he needed someone with a bucket truck because of all the dead limbs up about 35 feet. McGhee offered to do the work for $40 per hour and estimated that $1,100 would be a maximum amount charged.
Also approved by the city was to allow the Highfill Fire Department to use the $52,495 in its savings account from Act 833 funds, the fire department equipment fund and the Bryant Fund to complete yet unfinished work on the fire station. Gene Holland, Highfill's fire chief, estimated that another $57,719 will be needed to complete the work, meaning an additional $5,224 will be needed when the department receives more Act 833 funds.
Holland said the sheetrock has been put up and money to purchase the needed insulation came from the recent fire department benefit. Yet to be completed are purchase and installation of fire-rated doors and additional electrical, plumbing and HVAC work.
Work has been ongoing for a couple years with the addition, but completion has been delayed by a number of setbacks, Holland explained. Holland said it was time to finish the addition.
Holland estimated that the department receives about $20,000 annually from the state and another $20,000 to $25,000 from fire dues.
Holland said that Insurance Services Office had visited and he was reasonably certain the city's ISO rating of 5 would improve. He said the town probably had gone as far as it can go in regard to lowering insurance rates until the city is able to add more fire hydrants and the fire department is large enough to have full-time staff.
Also discussed at the meeting was the need for a new employee to help with the city's mowing and to assist with work of both the water and sewer department and the street department. No action was taken, but Stacy Digby, the city's mayor, said he would like to keep the mowing work in-house rather than contracting it out if possible. Much of the mowing is currently being done by a volunteer.
Digby said he was going to pull the electrical service from the city's community building so that the building could be rewired and replumbed before siding is replaced and painted. He also reported that the walking trail in the city park had been repaved, with some back filling yet to be done by city employees.
Councilman Toby Lester thanked Butch Wiand, the city's water and sewer supervisor, and Holland for their help at Horses for Healing.
Wiand reported that the Silver Meadows Subdivision had applied for 26 building permits which will be issued when the city receives an agreed-upon check for $2,000 from the Burman Company.
The police department reported receiving 353 requests for service in May, issuing 93 citations, making four felony and 15 misdemeanor arrests.
Reams reported ongoing road repair work and repairs to the city's tractor so he can begin brush hogging by the end of the week.
General News on 06/21/2017