Also, Northfield Village Website Awaits Fresh Look
By Emily Chesnic
An unforeseen hiccup has Northfield Village waiting to finalize the fire engine purchase and financing method for affording the new truck.
At the Jan. 13 regular meeting, Law Director Brad Bryan said he learned earlier in the day, Finley Fire Equipment, of Ohio, is merging with Virginia-based company, Atlantic Emergency Solutions, changing the party the village now is communicating with concerning the purchase.
While the merger will not alter the pricing and terms of the original contract, Bryan said Council would have to reapprove the agreement once he fully reviews and “straightens out” any language issues he identifies in the updated document. He anticipates this can be done by the next virtual, regular council meeting Jan. 28.
He said the financing will have to go back through the underwriting process, with Finance Director Jennifer Potvin already communicating with the bank regarding the merger and confirming the financing rate would not change.
At the end of 2020, the village approved purchasing, through Finley, at the time, a new Pierce Enforcer pumper fire engine, at a cost of $574,251, with the truck likely to arrive in the community by the end of 2021.
Fire Chief Jason Buss has said it would take about a year for the village to obtain the truck, as it is being built according to specific specs to meet the needs of the department and community.
By approving the purchase last month, the village was able to lock in the price of the truck, based on cooperative purchasing pricing through the state.
Buss and Council members have said it is crucial for the village to get the new engine in operation as possible, as the current truck is more than 25-years-old and does not meet current safety regulations.
Organizational Meeting
Northfield Village Council held the annual organizational meeting, just prior to the start of the Jan. 14 regular meeting, selecting Councilwoman Jennifer Domzalski to serve as President of Council for 2021.
“I am honored to say the least. I am almost speechless,” she said after being selected for the role.
Domzalski now will work on selecting Council members to head the Council committees, as well as choose members to serve on those committees for the new year.
Village Website
The website for Northfield Village now is under construction, with the key features still being accessible to the public while the process is taking place.
At the start of the Jan. 13 regular meeting, Council heard two presentations – one from a locally-based company and the other from a company in Michigan – on ideas for the new site.
To further review the two proposals, Council will hold a virtual work session Jan. 28, at 7 p.m., just prior to the regular meeting, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Financial Report
Finance Director Jennifer Potvin told Council it is a busy time in her office, as she is finalizing all the 2020 accounting records.
She said she will be scheduling meetings soon with all the village’s departments to begin the 2021 budget planning process.
Potvin told Council members she would provide them with “as much information as possible” throughout the process.
Fire Department Report
Fire Chief Jason Buss told Council the storm siren testing is on hold until a wiring issue is corrected later this week. He said the wiring issue was not identified during the installation of the siren. The issue quickly would be fixed, and the siren likely tested next week, he said.
Other Meeting News:
• Council agreed to donate dated light bars to a nonprofit organization, opposed to trying to sell them, to help a less fortunate safety department.