BY CAROL MOSLEY
Special to the Telegraph
The town of Brooker is taking steps to prepare for their new fire station and equipment promised by the state.
The September meeting began with the opening of sealed bids for clearing the property where the fire station will be located. The town purchased the distressed property, along with responsibility for clearing any debris left behind and preparing the space for future use.
The lowest bid was offered by Southern Roots, a local Bradford company. Two other bids came in substantially higher. Owner, Jassy Crews, was on hand to answer any questions of the council. Mayor Gene Melvin asked if they were sure they could do the job for the bid price, since the other two were so much higher. Crews said she walked the site along with council member, Steve Acree, and was certain they could do the work requested.
The other two bidders were from out of town and had not actually seen the site.
Crews said they have a reputation of doing a good job at a reasonable price. “We’d rather see you spend the extra funds on the new fire station or other community needs,” said Crews.
There are seven total lots that will accommodate the new fire station along with housing for two employees. The structural design has yet to be determined, but there are a few drawings to give conceptual examples.
The grant for equipment will come this year in the amount of $652,500. A shiny new engine will be purchased at $475,000, leaving some extra for purchase of a brush truck. Those funds need to be spent in one year. The approximately $500,000 allocated by the state for the structure will not come until next year, but those funds have seven years for the amount to be expended. The county could provide an EMS vehicle until Brooker can get its own.
According to Mayor Melvin, since the grant was given specifically to Brooker for initiating a fire station in town, the land and equipment will be titled to Brooker and leased to the county for some minimal sum, such as one dollar. But the fire truck will say “Brooker” on it.
The grant does not provide funding for operations nor personnel. The cost of running Brooker’s upcoming station was included in the recently proposed assessment, but that was not adopted by the county commission. The commissioners want more time to evaluate all the options.
Brooker did not hold a second reading on the proposed assessment since the county itself declined to impose any assessment for the 2025 budget.
“It would not have been fair to ask the people of the town to agree to it when there is no fire station yet. But,” Melvin pointed out, “there is no way the Town Council could agree to the proposed 100% funding at over $300. The residents of Brooker could not afford that.”
The county says it will hold workshops that will allow them to hear from residents as they determine an assessment for 2025.
Cpl. Glenn Ward, Bradford code enforcement officer, said a number of properties in the town are being cleaned up, and he anticipates greater compliance moving forward.
Meanwhile, the town noted an increase in their insurance rates of about $12,000, bringing that expense to almost $31,000 per year. A resolution was passed for water rates, increasing the rate for the first 3,000 gallons by one dollar to $26 per month. Each additional 1,000 gallons will be $1.75. The new rates will begin on Oct. 1.
The first hearing took place for the adoption of millage and budget. The tentative tax rate is 0.2503 mills and tentative budget is $192,300 for the General Fund and $118,000 for the Water Fund, with a total of $310,300.
The final public hearing on millage and budget will take place on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.
