Voters at a special town meeting on March 8 will be asked if the Mount Desert (ME) should borrow $949,590 to renovate the Somesville fire station, reports mdislander.com.

Two general contractors bid on the project, which aims to provide living quarters and workspace for fire and EMS personnel, with King Construction Services of Machias submitting the low bid at $783,500, the report says.

In addition to construction, there will be costs totaling an estimated $166,000, which includes a 15% construction contingency plus furniture and appliances, computer workstations, and a well-drilling.

If approved, work could begin soon after the March 8 meeting, with completion expected in September or October, the report says.

Officials say the town could use a portion of its undesignated funds to pay for the station project, but it would be better served to help offset an anticipated tax increase. The recommendation was that the town borrow the money for the Somesville project and take advantage of the bond market, the report says.

The woman who was arrested last week in connection with a series of arson fires that left a trail of damage in the city was being held in lieu of a $3 million bond after making an initial court appearance Monday. Sarah Ramey, 42, of Tacoma, was being held on probable cause after investigators connected her to 18 fires that were deliberately set last week.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2022 5:58:43 PM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000

Manteca (CA) City Council is being asked to authorize Tuesday the purchase of a new $1.7 million Pierce tractor-drawn aerial.

The tiller truck, from Golden State Fire Apparatus, costs $1,707,772.01, and if council fails to lock in the price, it will continue to rise.

The apparatus could take upwards of 18 months to deliver.

The department’s current aerial is a 2008 purchased for about $1 million, and it’s often in the shop for repairs.

The Montebello (CA) Fire Department is donating two engines to the Bomberos Tlajomulco De Zuniga, Jalisco (Mexico), reports bclosangeles.com.

Officials say they were honored and happy to help, and that the apparatus will be used for emergency calls and training for the Bomberos.

Department officials say the act of kindness is not random; in fact, it’s part of a tradition. The department as been donating equipment, apparatus, and supplies to fire departments in Mexico for more than 50 years.

It’s a tradition those same officials hope to continue.

An unexpected brush fire spread to a residential property in West Richland on Monday morning, spelling trouble for the property owner whose carport storing antique vehicles caught on fire. According to a social media notice from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and firefighters responded to the 82000-block of N Weidle Rd sometime on the morning of January 31, 2021.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2022 12:36:27 PM - SOURCE: YakTriNews