By Terry Schrimscher, For the Tribune
SPRINGVILLE – The Springville Council passed a resolution Monday night to order a new fire truck for the city. Discussions about ordering a new truck were first presented at the Feb. 6 meeting.
The Council agreed on the need for a new truck but asked for clarification on terms of payment.
“If we order it now, we won’t get it for 32 to 36 months, which is three years from now,” said Fire Chief Richard Harvey. “We’re not required to put anything down until delivery.”
In the Feb. 6 meeting, Harvey presented the Council with a request to purchase a new fire truck for the city. He said the new truck would cost $788,060. The city purchased the same truck in 2020 for $560,000.
Due to the time required for building the truck, Harvey presented the proposal as a proactive measure to address future needs, which could include the requirement for a third fire station in the city.
He also said the city would like to sell three of its current trucks including a 1996 truck, which is kept as a reserve service vehicle to help pay for the new vehicle.
“We need to make a decision to lock in,” Harvey said. “If that price goes and we wait two months or four months, I can tell you it’s going to be at least $840,000.”
After some discussion on ways to pay for the truck when it is delivered, the Council voted unanimously to order the new truck.
In the work session before the meeting, Springville Librarian Jamie Twente presented updated library usage figures from last year.
“We had almost 19,000 visitors. We offered 299 programs. Our program attendance was just over 5,000 people,” Twente said. “Our library has 7,946 card holders.”
Twente said the library did not have a young adult collection in 2015. She said the collection started in 2016 and has grown from approximately 200 books read by young adults to more than 2000 in 2022.
The dais in the council chamber was decorated with signed paper hearts for the meeting in recognition of National Love Your Library Month.
“Those are from library patrons. It’s National Love Your Library Month,” Twente said. “Those are mostly from children, and some adults, who love their library. We put them up all over the windows in our library, so we brought them for the Council to see.”
In other business, the Council appointed Kristi Kerr to the Historical Commission. The Council also approved Council members Katrina Hennings and Tim Walker as voting delegates to the annual convention of the Alabama League of Municipalities along with Mayor Dave Thomas.
Thomas announced a public hearing will be held at the March 6 meeting to discuss proposals for updated voting districts for Springville. The Council began working with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham last year to redraw the districts.
The next meeting of the Springville City Council will be held on March 6, at 6 p.m., with a work session at 5:30 p.m.