Jay’s Board of Directors approves fire truck renovation and base salary increase
JAY – At the Jay Select board meeting Monday night, board members voted to approve a bid from Thomas C. Gooding & Son for $3,200 to repair the North Jay Fire Station.
The request for proposal to restore the station building concerns the north wall of the building that was damaged by the June 29 rainstorm. The Board of Directors voted to accept the proposal, with Select Person Gary McGrane opposing, and Select Person Thomas Gooding abstaining due to his involvement in the project.
Jay Fire Rescue President Mike Booker submitted a proposal to renovate Fire Engine 3 at an estimated total cost of $67,590. The renovation will include stripping the truck, sandblasting and repainting, along with upgrading the existing lighting system to LED. Engine 3 is a 2006 truck, and the refurbishment would extend the life of the truck by 10-15 years and would save the city from having to purchase a new engine at an approximate cost of $700,000.
Booker’s request was approved by the board and the city will receive $67,590 from the fire department’s reserve account, which has a current balance of $289,000.
The council also voted to approve a Fire Department minimum wage increase of 0.35 cents per hour for all base pay rates. The current minimum wage is $13.80, which will increase to $14.15 under Maine law on January 1. The pay increase for employees who receive per diem will be discussed at the next budget meeting.
City Manager Shiloh LaFreniere provided the board with an update regarding the May 1 and June 29 rainstorms. LaFreniere said they are continuing to work through the May storm with FEMA, and must complete a damage inventory before moving on to site inspections for areas of the June storm that were not repaired.
Pratt & Sons will complete repairs to the sewer point on Jay Hill Road starting next week, and Vortex will photograph the line as work progresses to identify any issues and determine if any future permanent repairs are needed.
BAIC Industries has completed all areas that can be paved with bulk paving, the remaining areas will be completed by manual crews currently on site and paving is expected to be completed by the middle to end of this month. week.
A special city meeting order to approve temporary building easements near Hutchinson Road was approved by the board, and Lafreniere said she is currently working with an attorney to get the voting language and easement approved. A bridge has been ordered for temporary repair on Hutchinson Road, and the city will work with Starrett Snow on installation details.
This meeting was recorded by Mt.Blue TV and is available to watch online at MtBlueTV.org
