During their meeting Wednesday night, Fire Captain Gary Evens approached the Santiago Twp. Board to continue the discussion on the replacement of Fire Engine 3, one of the four township vehicles based out of Becker Station 2. 

 

He informed them the used truck he had found had been sold so he’s still looking. The truck they need has a list of criteria, and along with searching himself, he has several dealers and people in the business who are also actively looking. A $40,000 replacement cost has been estimated.

 

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends a 25-year replacement schedule for fire equipment; Engine 3 is almost 32 years old. Along with that issue, replacement parts for the vehicle are nearly nonexistent, and if a major problem occurred it wouldn’t be worth the cost of repair. The truck is only worth around $2,500 due to its age.

 

A discussion was held on travel expenses if a vehicle is found further out of state. Evens said ideally, he and one or two others would be able to personally check the vehicle out, however, depending on where it’s located, it could get expensive. He told the board there are also third-party inspectors that deal with fire trucks they could use.

 

The board inquired about warranties, which Evens explained aren’t available with used trucks, as it’s similar to purchasing a car from a private party. He said he would personally rather purchase a truck from another fire department, as he would be able to see how the rest of their equipment has been maintained.

 

“The truck is still operating fine and safety-wise it’s still passing everything, but it’s timing out,” said Evens. “Right now, we’re sitting in a good spot and can afford to be picky. What I don’t want to have happen is something going wrong with it and we have to rush to do something. We need to stay ahead of it and avoid having to deal with a major failure.”

 

“I think we need to keep an eye on this and strike when the iron is hot or we feel we have the finances to do it,” said Supervisor Stuart Nelson. “As far as going to check these things out we have to play by ear too, depending on the cost.”

 

The board gave Evens the go-ahead to continue looking for a replacement truck, and said they would have to make a decision based on price and when the opportunity came up. The township has been putting away $10,000 per year for this purpose.

 

Evens will give the same presentation to attendees at the township’s upcoming annual meeting.

 

 

Sherburne Co. Sheriff Joel Brott approached the board with the annual sheriff’s report. He informed them there were 702 law enforcement contacts within Santiago Twp. for 2018, down from the 980 contacts in 2017.

 

In terms of serious criminal activity, there was two assaults, three narcotics, five DUIs, four burglaries, seven thefts, five criminal damage to property, and no criminal sexual conduct or homicides. 

 

Brott also informed the council of events happening within the sheriff’s office, which include expansion and renovation of the building and active shooter response training. The sheriff’s office is also working with 22 area law enforcement to create a criminal intelligence center.

 

The county website, including the sheriff’s office page, has been updated and residents can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

Evens presented the board with paperwork they need to bring to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV) so the township can receive the title to Tender 3. The vehicle was originally obtained through the DNR’s lease program, however, they have transitioned out of that program and no longer want the vehicle back. 

 

Treasurer Patty Simonsmeier asked the board if they would consider raising the price of general junk from $20 to $30 as the township won’t be reimbursed for mattresses and large furniture any longer; cleanup day prices have remained the same for a number of years. The board agreed.

 

The fire department’s report was unavailable at the time of the meeting.

 

The next Santiago Twp. meeting will be March 13 at 7 p.m. The township’s annual meeting is set for March 12 at 8 p.m.