By Sara QuamThe city of Luverne will find an architect in July, who will help council members decide what to do about a Fire Hall expansion.An architect will initially look at the current structure and tell whether an expansion as tentatively planned is feasible. A new location may also be explored, but cost estimates are also needed for all options.A new truck coming in just three weeks has to be temporarily stored in the city’s electric department building because the Fire Hall is too low for it to fit.The preliminary plans call for an addition to the west that would double the length of the building and bring it up to code.The addition of more bays will bring all the equipment inside one building and make everything easier to access for emergencies. The drive-through bays will mean fire department members won’t have to back out in every case.The addition of four bays leaves one open for the future growth of the department.Funding any building project is another part of the issue.Economic Development Director Jill Wolf is looking into grant opportunities for funding part of any Fire Hall project.One, in particular, is for public safety facilities in cities with less than 5,000 population.A general obligation bond would need voter approval. Otherwise, the LEDA could finance the project through a separate loan that wouldn’t require a special election. Then, the city itself would lease the building from the LEDA to pay off the financing.The city could also have a public hearing and pass a capital improvement plan and have a 30-day waiting period and state approval for a bond.Summer internCouncil members heard a report from student intern Thomas Pinkal, who worked at the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center through a school program. He said, "It was a great experience for me."Pinkal turned his internship into a part-time job that he’ll keep through the summer and coming school year. He also completed his lifeguard training.During his time as an intern, he developed a swimming lessons database, which included whether students passed or failed and the name of their instructor. He also familiarized himself with the insurance industry by working with Blue Cross and Blue Shield for the membership incentive program. He also developed a database for that new system. Pinkal honed his communication skills by working with customers, signing them up for memberships or lessons and answering phones and making tanning appointments.He also called people who responded to a facility questionnaire to get more information.In other business Tuesday, the council:oPassed an agreement with Sioux Valley to use the Pool and Fitness Center for rehab. Generally, Sioux Valley Regional Health Services, as Luverne Community Hospital, will have exclusive use of the pool for a few hours a day Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sioux Valley will pay $1,150 monthly for January through May and August through December. The charge changes to $1,000 for June and July since the hospital gets fewer consecutive hours because of the busy swimming lessons schedule.oWaived fees to the Chamber of Commerce, sponsoring Hot Dog Night July 14. The Chamber requested that the city block Main Street from Freeman to McKenzie from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and that the city provide picnic tables and pick up trash and sweep the street after the event.oReceived a favorable audit of financial reports from a private accounting firm. The auditor noted that the city did a "great job" in following new accounting guidelines, and that in all the cities, Luverne is the only one to do its own total financial report. The Finance Officer for the city is Barb Berghorst.oReceived a department report from Water and Wastewater Supervisor Al Lais. He said the new water tower is working and providing service to everyone west of Highway 75 and North of the tennis courts. More will be added to that system later. The Minnesota Veterans Home and that neighborhood are also using the new tower and report increased water pressure.