The Brundidge City Council received good news at its Tuesday meeting.
The city has received a FEMA Fire Fighters Assistance Grant that makes funds available to purchase a fire truck for the city’s volunteer fire department.
Brundidge City Manager Britt Thomas said the grant award is for $228,000 with the city’s match at $23,400.
Thomas said the spec prices could have changed since the grant application was submitted a year ago, which means prices could be higher or lower. But either way, the grant is a good deal for the city.
“ISO does not recommend keeping a fire truck that is 10 years old or older and that is the situation we are in,” Thomas said. He added that the city’s match, in time, could be refunded to the general fund from the city’s share of the countywide tobacco tax.
The council authorized the city manager to sign the necessary papers to accept the grant award.
The council also authorized the city to submit the necessary paperwork for a Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant to install sidewalks along the north side of S.A. Graham Boulevard and the west side of Galloway Road, to and from designated points.
Thomas said the preliminary survey for the project estimated the cost on Graham Boulevard to be $125,000. No cost estimate was made for the Galloway project.
“This is a competitive TAP grant and there is no assurance that we’ll get it,” Thomas said. “But the council has been discussing this project since 2011. It’s a 80-20 match grant based on the cost of the total project, with the city assuming 20 percent of the cost.”
Thomas reported that the city is in the process of erecting a 40×100-foot metal building to replace the structure that was destroyed by straight-line winds in 2012.
The building was originally a hanger and had been converted to use as inventory space for the city’s utility department. The new building will be dedicated to that same use.
The council voted to purchase a John Deere ATV from the local John Deere dealership at a cost of $8,000 and to declare the city’s current ATV surplus, making it available for bid. The ATV is used by the Public Works Department.
The council also approved a request from the Southeast Alabama Solid Waste Disposal Authority for a franchise agreement to collect solid waste within the city.
In other business, the council approved the Pike Area Transit System’s request for capital assistance for two new vans. The council voted to pay its prorated share of $1,600.
Mayor Jimmy Ramage said PATS is a valuable asset to the people of Pike County and the city is proud to contribute.
Ramage said that the city’s summer recreation program got off to a good start Monday night with both a girls’ and boys’ team playing at home and a boys’ team on the road.
“We’re looking forward to a fun and successful summer recreation program under the direction of the Pike County School System,” Ramage said.