Minutes of the Geary County Rural Fire Board Trustees Meeting
For August 5, 2009
The meeting was called to order at 7:31 p.m. by Chairman Ben Bennett.
Roll call was taken. Districts present: Lyon, Milford, Smoky Hill, and Wingfield. Districts absent: Blakely, Jackson, and Jefferson. Also present were Trustee Board Chair Ben Bennett, Fire Chief Garry Berges, Assistant Fire Chief Brian Clark and County Extension Agent Chuck Otte.
Oliver Schmutz moved to approve the minutes as presented. The motion was seconded and passed 5 – 0.
Fire Chief Berges reviewed the breakdown of calls received January thru July 2009 in comparison to the same period in 2008. So far for 2009 there have been 120 runs of all types, including standbys at the race track. This compares to 130 in the same period in 2008. Actual fire runs only is 52 for 2009 compared to 43 in 2008. (Report is attached.)
The county has received a grant from the Kansas Forest Service for $5,000. This is a 50:50 matching grant, the county will put up $2,500. Purchased with the grant funds were 10 radios, 20 flappers, 10 McLeod tools, a 5 gallon backpack sprayer for each truck.
Gary announced that there would be a fire fighter 1 class being offered in the area by KU Continuing Education. The county volunteer training will be continuing this late summer. Pagers and email will be used to notify the volunteers.
There has been no information received on the status of the Federal Fire Grant that was applied for.
On July 2 a grant request was submitted for the new fire station. The amount requested was $325,000 of which $315,000 would be stimulus money. Senator Roberts and Congressman Moran were both supporting this grant request. It is hoped that the county would receive news on this by late September.
Truck #112 is out of service because of the clutch. This damage appears to have been caused by operator error. Brian is still working through all the stations and trucks as time allows.
It was reported that the emergency brake on Truck 102 isn’t working.
County Extension Agent Otte reported that information about fall elections would be mailed out to presidents and trustees in late September. Elections need to be held by the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Unfinished Business: No unfinished business.
New Business: There was a question about the outdoor light at Humboldt Fire Station.
The next meeting will be October 7th.
With no further business, Chairman Bennett declared the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Chuck Otte
Recording Secretary