City to buy new fire truck
By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Common Council approved a new planned infill development zoning change that will allow Nieuwenhuis Bros, Inc. to relocate its recycling facility on Mound Road to the end of Woolsey Street in the industrial park.
The new zoning classification was necessary for the company to add a waste transfer facility to the site.
City Planner Mike Slavney said city ordinances only permit such a facility on property zoned heavy manufacturing, which the city has none of. He said when the zoning was instituted many years ago, he had no idea waste transfer would one day be possible indoors as the facility will do.
Slavney recommended designating the property as a “planned infill development” so the rules could be customized for it. He said it is a quality development that the company has been working with city staff on for more than six months.
The Plan Commission recommended approval with 12 conditions. Some of those conditions include securing a “precise implementation plan” that is consistent with the general development plan, the city retains the right to inspect the site, no outdoor storage will be permitted other than in container bins or fully enclosed truck trailers for no more than three consecutive days, a lawn and landscaping must be established within two years, and all vehicle operations areas shall be paved with a dust-free surface within a year.
The project will be completed in two phases. Phase One will include construction of the 11,942-square-foot waste transfer building and roll-off storage on the southern portion of the property. Phase Two will include an addition to the waste transfer facility that will double its size, a building that will include about 15,000 square feet of office space, and a 9,000-square-foot building for vehicle maintenance. A new rail spur is also part of the proposal.
Fire truck
The council approved signing an agreement to purchase a new fire engine in January. Alderman Bruce DeWitt said the city planned to use capital improvement money in the 2016 budget to buy a new truck and recently found out that significant savings could be realized if the city signed the agreement now before prices go up.
An additional discount could be realized if the city is able to pay for the engine by Jan. 15. DeWitt said the Finance Committee will discuss if that is possible over the next month or so.
Fire Chief Tim O’Neill said the need to purchase a new truck arose when the department’s 1982 truck died. The new engine will actually replace three trucks, which O’Neill said will save the city money in the long run. O’Neill said the new vehicle will replace the 1982 truck and two other 1980s trucks that are near the end of their service lives.
“The proposed unit will replace three vehicles, produce substantial savings and reduce our fleet,” O’Neill said. “It is a good move at this time.”
O’Neill also said the new truck can be operated by one person as opposed to the two it usually takes, a significant upgrade considering how difficult it is getting in other communities to recruit volunteer firefighters. O’Neill said the city has been lucky to maintain the force it has but that could change in the future.
O’Neill said the new truck will be versatile with the ability to carry hoses and water and provide an elevated master stream. The truck should last 25 to 30 years and will allow the department to put its 1989 pumper truck in reserve.
The motion to approve signing the agreement to purchase the truck was approved with the Finance Committee to determine financing later.
Greenie’s upgrades
The council approved hiring Angus Young to draw up architectural plans for upgrades for the kitchen at Greenie’s at Delbrook Golf Course. According to a memo from Administrator Denise Pieroni, a new state inspector cited the facility with several violations in June for things that had never been cited before.
Initially the inspector requested the facility be brought into compliance by mid-July, but that would have interfered with the operation of the restaurant during peak season. The inspector has allowed the city to complete the upgrades by the beginning of the 2016 season. The facility will not be allowed to open without the upgrades.
The agreement with Angus Young will cost the city $8,775. The cost of the needed upgrades is unknown. All of the costs are unexpected and have not been budgeted for. However Pieroni said the cost is expected to be covered by the existing budget because other projects have come in under budget.
Some of the changes that will bring the kitchen into compliance with state code include replacing a single-basin sink with a three-compartment sink and adding a hand-washing sink. That will require the expansion of the ware-washing area and the addition of a new grease interceptor.
The prep area in the rear of the kitchen also needs a sink with an open site drain and a hand-washing sink. The bar layout also needs a hand-washing sink.
