By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Hoping to capture some income from surplus, unneeded inventory, staffers within the Whitewater Fire and Rescue Department have been given the go-ahead to sell an unneeded ambulance.
The Common Council on Nov. 3 voted to sell the ambulance on Wisconsinsurplus.com, a state auction website. The ambulance has been in the department’s possession since 1997. Officials did not have a ballpark figure for the expected sale of the ambulance.
“Sale proceeds will be returned to the city to be placed in a fund for replacement vehicles in the future, or how the city sees fit,” said Shannon Schepp, who has a role in making equipment-related purchases.
As part of the plan, none of the department’s equipment — including medical supplies, a cot and other incidental features — will be included in the sale.
In other business Nov. 3, the Common Council:
- Held the second, and final, reading of an ordinance pertaining to alarm systems. The document is designed to spell out specifically what constitutes an alarm system at commercial and residential properties.
For the purposes of clarity, the ordinance includes the terms “automatic holdup alarm systems,” “burglar alarm system,” “holdup alarm systems,” “fire alarms” and “manual holdup alarm systems.”
The city will soon require the owners of all commercial properties and most multi-family residential developments have a lock box so firefighters have ready access to a facility in the event of an emergency.
- Backed a recommendation from city staffers to withdraw from the Local Government Property Insurance organization. In an effort to reduce premium costs, plans are in motion for the city to join a different provider Jan. 1.
