Sturtevant OKs 2012 South Shore Fire Purchases

The Sturtevant Village Board approved funds for 2012 capital equipment purchases by the South Shore Fire Department at its meeting Tuesday night.

Trustee Chris Larsen was the lone dissenting vote.

Total estimated total cost of the purchases is $84,760, of which the Village of Sturtevant will pay an estimated $15,257. The funds will go toward the purchase of defibrillators, estimated at $49,760 and the purchase of a new incident command vehicle, estimated at $35,000.

In response to Village Administrator Mark Janiuk’s request that additional information be provided to the board in regard to replacing the command vehicle, Chief William Bouma and Battalion Chief Jon Keiser said in a report that the request was based on several factors. The current command vehicle, which serves as Battalion 8, is a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe. It has about 106,225 miles on it and has increasing mechanical issues, according to the report.

The purchase of a new command vehicle was a deferred capital expense for 2010 and 2011 and is being revisited again for 2012.

Janiuk also brought up the issue of state legislation that would allow municipalities not in the Wisconsin Retirement System the option to choose health plans under the Group Insurance Board.

“Anything we can do to encourage that to move along would be helpful,” Janiuk said, referring to the legislation. “It’s something we would like to see passed. We would like to have the option.”