Fire hydrants were a hot issue at the Teague City Council meeting, Monday, March 20th.
Matt Gillett of the Teague Volunteer Fire Department presented a slideshow detailing the dire straits of the City’s existing fire hydrants.
Interim City Administrator/Secretary Theresa Prasil provided Aldermen with a brief overview of the ongoing issues.
She explained that, since 2009, the Council has been notified several times of the need for repair and replacement of numerous hydrants within city limits.
However minimal work has been accomplished due to confusion regarding whose responsibility it is to maintain the hydrants – the Volunteer Fire Department or the Public Works Department. Prasil urged the Council to take immediate action, saying that the City could be liable for residential fire damage should these hydrants fail to function properly.
Gillett gave a detailed account of the City’s one hundred and seventy-one existing hydrants, of which seven are considered to be dead, three are broken, and four are installed along an unfinished water main.
He informed the Council that some of the existing hydrants can be repaired, but others are considered antiquated, with the cost of new hydrants ranging from $2,000 – $5,000 each.
Gillett told Aldermen that twelve new hydrants are needed as soon as possible, and recommended purchasing at least five additional hydrants as backups.
Citing the need for extensive work, Prasil suggested that the City call in an outside contractor to complete the project.
The Council agreed unanimously, voting to authorize Prasil to solicit bids, with the intent to discuss necessary budget amendments and purchasing options at their next meeting.
Teague’s Volunteer Fire Department (TFD) also represented another item on the Council’s agenda – the purchase of a new 2017 Pierce Responder Fire Engine.
The new engine will replace their 2001 E-93, a necessary, but almost bittersweet change, as detailed on the Department’s Facebook page.
“As you may have read in this week’s newspaper, TFD has been approved by the city council to order a new fire engine. The members of the department chose Pierce to build the new truck. This will be our third Pierce fire truck. We expect delivery around the beginning of next year. We are very excited and sad at the same time. Our current E93 will be sold. We have had this truck since 2001. It has served this community very well. It has seen a lot of fire in 16 years. It also gave Robert [Knight] his last ride. So it’s bittersweet for us to replace it, but the new E93 will be a great addition to our department. We will update everyone as the new truck progresses. Thank you to the city council, mayor, city manager, and to the citizens for the continued support.”
The Department will maintain their current fleet, retaining ownership of the E-93 until the new engine is delivered in ten to eleven months, at which time the old engine will be sold.
Aldermen approved buying the 2017 Pierce Engine, refinancing the Department’s 2008 Ferrara ladder truck with the purchase of the new engine resulting in a combined note of approximately $55,000 per year, due next March. Combining the notes on the two TFD vehicles will save the City around $30,000 per year.
In other business, Aldermen approved a resolution amending the City’s personnel policy regarding attendance and timeliness, as well as overtime and compensatory (comp) time.
During the last meeting of the City Council, Aldermen voted to cap comp time at 80 hours.
Also approved was another amendment to the personnel manual allowing the addition of five personal days for salaried employees.
Under the existing guidelines, salaried employees must meet a one year requirement before receiving time off. Aldermen voted to allow the City’s four salaried employees these additional personal days, to be pro-rated for 2.5 days for the remainder of 2017.
Interim City Administrator/Secretary Prasil gave an update regarding the possibility of placing the Old City Hall Building, located at 521 Main Street, up for sale.
She shared that the appraisal cost will allow for sealed bids to be accepted at a minimum of $57,000. However, Prasil informed the Council that the original deed to the building cannot be located by the City or the County Clerk’s Office, meaning that additional costs must be incurred to hire a title company to perform a survey of the property prior to sale.
Aldermen authorized Prasil to take the necessary actions to complete the sale.
Following executive session, it was announced that Theresa Prasil, currently acting as Interim City Administrator/Secretary, will be officially hired to hold the position of City Administrator/Secretary.
