Fire training fund created (1104/2008)

Portland's fire department now has a way to accrue its training money.

Members of the Portland City Council voted Monday night to create a non-reverting training fund for the fire department.

Any training funds left over from previous years and any new money will go into this account.

Portland Fire Chief Matt Aker said the fire department recently received a $3,000 fire training grant from the state that can be put into the fund.

In other business Monday, council members heard Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, report that a complaint about parking near Judge Haynes Elementary School was resolved before the meeting.

Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said Dustin Hilfiker, 902 W. High St., was upset because before and after school, parents were parking on both sides of Williams Street, making travel difficult, and also blocking his driveway.

Hosier said he spoke with Hilfiker and asked him what the city could do to resolve the problem. The solution Hilfiker and city officials agreed to was to put no parking signs along the west side of Williams Street near the school. Hosier said Hilfiker was happy with this solution and decided not to come to the city council meeting.

Also Monday, Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, announced that city workers began picking up leaves on a more regular basis on Monday.

Harker said the collection will continue through Dec. 19. The leaves will be collected on the regular trash route. Leaf collection will begin at 7 a.m. each day. Anyone who has leaves that need to be picked up should place the leaves next to the street but not on the street.

Harker also noted that city residents should make sure that only leaves are in the piles because other items can damage the leaf truck.

Councilman Kent McClung ask what foreign objects would damage the truck the most.

Harker said the vacuum on the truck has picked up sticks, stones, bricks and lawn ornaments. He said sticks probably cause the most damage.[[In-content Ad]]