FARMINGTON – Selectmen dealt with a number of relatively minor issues prior to the holidays, including an equipment request by the local fire department and possible alternatives to the parking lot changes behind the former Howard’s Rexall building.
The Farmington Fire Rescue Department is interested in purchasing a used vehicle to haul the mobile cascade air system, which provides firefighters a staging point to fill their air packs on the scene.
The system is currently mounted on an open-air trailer, which the department says has a number of disadvantages. These were most recently brought into focus at last week’s major fire in an apartment building on Maple Street. Crews found the cumbersome trailer left the air system to be exposed to cold weather, making it work poorly.
“It has not worked out well on the trailer,” Fire Chief Terry Bell reported.
Due to space constraints, the large trailer cannot be conveniently stored within the firehouse.
The department believes the best option would be to spend $8,700 from the equipment fund to purchase a 1997 International rescue ambulance. That money would also let the department retrofit the vehicle and install a new air-storage system. Larger than the typical, hospital-style vehicle, this truck would also serve the department’s special firefighter rescue squad and respond to certain EMS calls.
There is currently $51,000 in the reserve equipment fund.
“We’d use it for more than just air,” Bell said. He went on to note that the department would hope to sell the trailer for roughly $3,500 to help offset the cost of the vehicle.
Selectmen, while noting that they saw there was a problem, were hesitant to commit to the purchase of a 11-year-old vehicle with 157,000 miles.
“I have some concerns about the age and mileage,” Selectman Nancy Porter said.
Selectmen unanimously voted to look at the truck and consider the matter further at their Jan. 13 meeting.
Selectmen also heard a proposal by Bill Marceau, who had previously appeared before the board to inform them that his company, Foothills Management, was going to put 16 private parking spaces on the north side of the large municipal parking lot in downtown Farmington.
Despite widespread beliefs to the contrary, Marceau actually owns those spaces outright, and has simply allowed the public to use them over the years.
His proposal was to move the 16 private spaces to the south side of the lot, behind the post office building. While Marceau says he personally has no strong opinion between the original and new proposal, other local landowners had come forward in support of the idea.
“There’s a lot more traffic here [on the north side],” Marceau said. “This seems like it’s a more user-friendly solution for the downtown.”
Selectmen had their own suggestions, including moving the private spaces even further to the south, to line the edge. Porter thought snow removal would be an issue.
Selectmen agreed to discuss the matter again on the Jan. 13 meeting, after the town manager had a chance to consider the proposal.
In a related matter, selectmen also approved naming the small lot that will be created by Marceau’s renovation of the old warehouse-style building adjacent to the municipal lot. That small lot will be called “Marceau Court.”
“I said what the hell,” Marceau joked, “name it after myself.”
