Somers Fire Department to receive $70,000 federal grant

SOMERS – The Somers Village Board has approved a more than $70,000 federal grant for the village fire department.

Fire Chief Ben Andersen explained at a meeting Aug. 22 that their Federal Emergency Management Agency “Assistance to Firefighters” grant application was selected for funding.

The money will be used to replace the department’s current air tank filling station, which is over 20 years old Andersen said, and “has been having a lot of issues over the last few years.”

The federal government will pay $71,184.76 for the project, leaving $3,559.24 for the village to cover.

Andersen said the project had already been slated to be included in future village capital improvement plans.

The board also has approved the sale of old equipment from the fire department and Somers Department of Public Works. The fire department plans to sell a 2003 van, more than 20-year-old extraction tools and other miscellaneous equipment.

Public Works plans to sell items including a 2001 pickup truck with a plow, a 2003 mower, a 1999 mower, a 1995 mower, a 1969 generator, a Genset generator, a roll gate and other miscellaneous equipment.

Somers’ third ambulance is in need of repairs after its turbo unit failed, according to Andersen. The 2017 vehicle is still well within its service life, he said, but the cost of repairs, estimated to be $9,500, will exceed the budget for vehicle maintenance.

The expense was approved by the Village Board.

The board also approved changes to the village’s annual burn permit fee. Previously residents were charged $25 for a first-time permit and $15 for subsequent years. Andersen requested a single fee to lessen the burden for staff.

The permit fee will be $25 for all burn permits going forward.

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