From amending policies to purchasing equipment to borrowing money, Witless Bay council has approved a number of agenda items put forth on behalf of the Witless Bay Volunteer Fire Department.
Firstly, the Town approved two motions to amend town policies to include new very different policies related to Fire Department operations. The first was to give the fire chief the authority to “better enforce businesses’ emergency plans and annual inspections.”
“In the absence of Deputy Mayor (Lorna) Yard, who is the fire liaison, I would say that the intent here is not necessarily to impose on any businesses,” said councilor Alex Troake.
The measure gives the department the opportunity to perform annual inspections and investigate any concerns. “It’s not to be a fee, or something imposed or forced onto businesses,” Troake said.
The second motion was to include a plan for volunteer firefighters to ‘ease back’ after taking a leave of absence.
Both motions passed unanimously.
Later in the meeting, council unanimously approved three motions necessary for the Town to take out a loan to purchase a new fire vehicle.
Council first had to approve renewal of a line of credit from the Community Credit Union. Council then requested ministerial approval to borrow some $200,000 for the proposed vehicle. Finally, council voted to request the actual loan from the Community Credit Union, pending approval from the provincial government for the vehicle.
Council also unanimously approved motions to upgrade the phone system and security systems at both the town hall and the fire department.
Troake said council is considering a web-based phone service. Folks calling the Town Hall may receive an automated message asking them to punch in a number to be transferred to the appropriate staff member. Troake said this will enable staff to work remotely. There are also phone numbers listed within the town’s system that council say they do not know what they could have been used for.
Troake said that given the number of members joining the fire department and the number of keys that have been cut over the years, it may make sense to switch to an electronic card system.
“We could track who’s in and has access, and set any limits,” said Troake.
Council also authorized the fire department to purchase high-angle rope equipment. The price was not discussed.
One motion that was not met with approval was a request to raise a fire hydrant on Northside Track. Council instead deferred the request until at least the spring, when it will look into the matter further.
From January 1 to September 1, according to the liaison report presented by Troake, the Fire Department has had 197 calls for service. The number of members available during the day has begun to decrease, as people return to work after the summer months.
