LFD seeks grant for fire equipment

By Sara QuamThe Luverne Fire Department has 30 new, self-contained breathing apparatuses that will be partially paid for by grants of $87,780.Luverne City Councilman Pat Baustian said at the Tuesday council meeting that firefighter Dan Nath, Fire Chief Don Deutsch and Luverne Economic Development Director Jill Wolf deserve credit for working to get the grant.The breathing apparatuses should be in service for the department by the end of the month. They are used by all firefighters during calls so they can breathe under all circumstances.The city will pay $36,736 of the cost. City Administrator John Call said, "I figure that the grant saved the city $113,000."The city would normally replace a few at a time without a grant like this.In other city news Tuesday:
The Luverne City Council called a public hearing for Feb. 14. The hearing will be to allow public comment and for the council to state the intent to borrow up to $1.5 million in general obligation bonds. The council may choose not to bond for the full amount, but it is an option after the hearing.The bond hearing was earlier intended to be for $830,000 for the Fire Hall expansion along with $48,000 for architect, engineering and related fees as well as some extra for cost overruns.However, the City Council is using the option to bond for up to $1.5 million in case money is needed for work on the old hospital.
The Luverne Economic Development Authority accepted with regrets and thanks the resignations of Larry Wills and Nate Golla. Their seats, which expired at the end of 2005, will not be filled, and the LEDA will be a five-person board.
The council increased residential building permit fees for 2006 in an ordinance. Some of the fees are: —furnace replacement, $15; plumbing plan review, $50 per hour—residential construction has a range depending on value. For example, up to $2,500 value is $35; $100,001 to $500,000 is $792.50 for the first $100,000 plus $5 for each additional $1,000 or a fraction thereof, to and including $500,000.
The council declared two generators as surplus and directed staff to try to sell them on the open market.