Hillsboro plans fire station, water plant improvements
Staff writer
While poll workers across America tallied ballots and millions anxiously awaited the results, Hillsboro City Council quietly met Tuesday evening to discuss local matters.
Fire Chief Ben Steketee gave a 20-minute presentation regarding Hillsboro’s volunteer fire department, which covers 119 square miles around the county.
He discussed recent training and bonding events, such as teams playing an oversized game of Jenga using a hydraulic rescue tool called Jaws of Life.
Steketee advocated for building a new fire station in Hillsboro.
The current station, according to Steketee, has leaks in its roof and is getting cramped with an increasing number of volunteers.
“We are an anomaly in the fact that we have a glut of volunteers,” he said. “Volunteerism is way down.“
A modern station that includes firefighters’ quarters could help the department grow and eventually become a full-time operation, he said.
Mayor Lou Thurston seemed enthusiastic about the idea.
“Listening to Ben, I think he’s made a pretty good case that we should do this sooner rather than later,” he said. “We can’t keep counting on luck or fate or what have you to keep someone alive.”
Council members then discussed different ways of financing the project.
“This is much more important than a bowling alley,” Thurston said. “And we took some time with that decision. But I don’t want to take too much time, because the price is only going to go up.”
Council member Ronald Wilkins added: “If we can get this fire station up, it would be fantastic,”
Later in the meeting, a $215,600 bid from APAC Shears to go toward water plant improvements was accepted by council members.
The meeting also saw adoption of a municipal policy creating renters’ rules for a city food truck and a revision to municipal policy that adds the staff of the recently purchased bowling alley to the city’s Christmas party invitation list.
The revision also increased the Christmas bonus for permanent city employees from $50, a number which had remained static since 2003, to $75.
The bonus will remain $50 for council members.