The City of Rockdale has a shiny, close-to-new fire truck after the city council voted 5-0 to buy one at a meeting Tuesday night in the George Hill Patterson Community Center.
“I sincerely appreciate the funds,” volunteer Fire Chief Ward Roddam said. “We work very hard to manage our money. We are proud of what we do and proud to serve the citizens.”
He added that the addition of the new truck which is a 2009 model, would bring the department up to standard.
“It would be a tremendous asset,” he said before the council voted to okay the purchase. The department will sell its outdated 1989 model, he told members.
The unit, new to the city, is a pumper tanker with a little over 18,861 miles. Literature from the seller of the fire truck said that it has been “very well taken care of over its life” and “there should be plenty of life left to respond to emergency calls in your own fire department with this piece of emergency equipment.”
First payment on the truck will be $50,000 to come out of the fiscal year budget that starts in October of this year.
HEARING—There was a public hearing on the upcoming fiscal year budget, but no citizen spoke on the matter.
City Manager Barbara Holly did tell those at the meeting that the budget was a balanced one and the tax rate will be 90.74 cents which is lower than the current 91.18-cent rate.
The coming fiscal year budget is scheduled to take in about $93,700 more than last year’s, Holly noted.
NOT FUNDED—Two city positions will not be funded in the upcoming fiscal budget: one is the city’s marketing director and the other is a part-time position at the library.
Final vote on the city’s new fiscal budget is set to be taken at the Sept. 14 regular session.
In other action during Tuesday’s session, the council heard about a request for emergency work for the Tracy Well pump.
“It needs maintenance. This needs to happen,” Mayor John King said before the vote.
The council agreed in a 5-0 vote. Councilman Doug Calame was not present at the meeting.
In another 5-0 affirmative vote, the mayor was authorized to settle a claim with Gary Darby regarding a paving lien for property at 1804 West Cameron Avenue.
The council also authorized the city manager to use money from the sale of a street sweeper for the purchase of a dump truck for the Public Works Department.
Council also amended a Chapter 14: Zoning, Article 14.02, Section 14.02.004 that deal with rules for bed and breakfasts and mobile food vendors.
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