By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Common Council on Aug. 11 approved pre-paying the $761,992 cost of a new fire engine that had been previously approved and budgeted for the 2016 budget year. The pre-payment will save the city $17,176.
The council in July approved signing an agreement to purchase a new fire engine in January. Alderman Bruce DeWitt said the city planned use capital improvement money in the 2016 budget to purchase a new truck and recently found out that significant savings could be realized if the city signed the agreement now before prices go up. The council agreed to do that in July but still needed to decide how to cover a cost that was budgeted for 2016.
DeWitt said the city will still list the purchase as a 2016 project and use reserve money to pay for it now. In January the amount can be transferred from the 2016 capital improvement budget to the reserve fund. Administrator Denise Pieroni said in a memo to the council that adequate funds are in reserve to cover the expense. According to the memo, the city is projected to have a cash balance of $2.75 million at the end of the year and that will drop to $1.98 million after the pre-payment.
The new engine will be a Pierce tanker and pumper from Reliant Fire Apparatus, Inc. Fire Chief Tim O’Neill previously said the need to purchase a new truck arose when the department’s 1982 truck died. The new engine will replace three trucks, which O’Neill said will save the city additional 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.
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.
Agreement with MLG
The council approved a one-year contract extension with MLG Commercial to market land in the city’s industrial park. The city originally agreed to a two-year contract with MLG in August 2010 and has approved one-year extensions annually since. The contract calls for MLG to receive 10 percent of the sale price or a minimum of $4,500 per acre, whichever is greater. MLG only earns money if land is sold.
The motion to approve the extension was approved 5-1 with Alderman Chris Phillips opposed. Phillips asked why MLG does not market Delavan’s industrial park on real estate websites. MLG Vice President Vytau Barcus said residential real estate agents do not typically know what it takes to develop business or commercial sites. Phillips said real estate sites have a page for that kind of development, and he said he thought it would be good to advertise Delavan sites more.
Park agreement
The council agreed to a three-year extension to an agreement to provide recreational services to the village and town of Darien. The original deal, which expires Dec. 31, is for three years.
Pieroni said the agreement has worked out very well. The new agreement will cost the village and town $8,500 each year of the contract. The village and town paid $4,500 in 2013, $7,000 in 2014, and $9,500 in 2015 under the original agreement. Pieroni said the new agreement resulted from a request by the town to renegotiate and the new contract amounts were based on “adjustments to recreation expenses and allocation parameters.” The city will provide two movies in the park at West Park in Darien as part of the agreement.
Service foundation
Julie Supernaw made a presentation to the council about a new foundation she has formed to help high school students create service projects in the community. The foundation is called Delavan Area Youth Service and a new website is under construction at www.DaysFoundation.org.
Supernaw said the foundation will provide inspiration to service the community, guidance on what issues are in the community, and mentoring and coaching the creation of a service project. In addition, one grant will be provided each month to help pay for materials or other costs. Supernaw said the grant money comes from private donations. Supernaw also said the website will include a help-wanted page that city groups can access to try to find volunteer help for their causes or projects.
Supernaw said her research has led her to believe larger cities have service groups like this but not smaller communities. She would like to get some recognition for DAYS by participating in the Global Youth Service Day in April, a day on which she hopes to get 500 Delavan area high school students to work on a service project at the same time as part of a global effort on that day.
“It is a way to celebrate our youth in a positive manner,” she said.
