LINCOLN -- Firefighters could be getting new air packs soon if a $50,000 grant is approved by the Rural Development Authority.
Rhonda Hulse, grant-writer for the city, told Lincoln City Council members at last week's meeting she thought the Lincoln Fire Department should get the grant.
Alderman Coby Hall asked Hulse if this was a different grant than the one considered in February.
"Yes," Hulse said. "This one can be up to $50,000 and it isn't a matching grant. Since we can show our equipment is 20 years old, we should get approved for it. This will only replace 10 of them but this grant comes around twice a year and we can apply again to replace the others."
"I know they are outdated," Hall said about the air packs, which are worn on the back of firefighters for air supply when entering a structure fire.
Council members unanimously approved the authorization to apply for the grant. They also approved the city contributing $20,000 toward the purchase of 10 air packs at a cost of $70,000, which would include the grant money if it is approved by RDA.
The council also approved the transfer of money remaining in the economic development account to the library construction account and closing the economic development account.
A resolution to authorize changing depository institutions and authorizing signatures was tabled.
Alderman McDonald suggested tabling it because he thought the council needed to hear more about the change from the finance committee. The other members agreed and voted to table the item.
On another matter, Chuck Wood, city business manager, explained to the council the need for a private audit.
"The state has been doing our audit for the last 10 years," Wood said. "This last time they were here from October to February and several times we had to give them the same materials more than once. It was stressful on our staff. I would like at least to try a private audit one time this year."
Wood said the $13,000-$16,000 cost would be divided among the city's departments, except for the water department which has to have a private audit due to the state not doing municipal water department audits.
Certified accountants with Berry & Associates PC, Little Rock, is the firm Wood said the water department uses. He recommended the council approve the firm for a city audit.
"Let's get somebody new and see what they do," Wood said, adding state auditors have told city officials in the past they were doing the budget wrong so it was changed to what auditors said. "Then they came back and said we were doing it right before."
"I think this would be a good check and balance," said Mayor Rob Hulse.
"It would be worth looking at," said McDonald.
Alderman Doyle Dixon agreed, then the council cast a unanimous vote to hire Berry & Associates to do a one-time audit.
Before ending the meeting, the mayor said the library staff had handled 392 items since the new library opened in March. He said the daily average of handled items at the same time last year was 243.
"If it continues like this, we may have to add another part-time person," Hulse said.
Al Videtto, information director for the city, said 200 new patrons had been added since the library opened.
Rhonda Hulse said the library was filling up with "kids coming in after school."
"This confirms -- if you build it they will come," the mayor said, smiling.
He thanked Dianna Payne, library director, the library staff, Bret Park, architect, and Videtto for their hard work. He also thanked the council for their approval of a new library and the citizens of Lincoln who voted on an increase of a one-cent sales tax that helped build and will help pay for the library.
"I appreciate everybody's hard work," Hulse said.
General News on 04/23/2014