July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Trailer donated to haul foam (01/10/08)

Portland Board of Works

By By RACHELLE HAUGHN-

Finding a way to haul foam to fight fires will no longer be a problem for a local fire department.

The chief of the Portland Fire Department announced this morning that Poet Biorefining-Portland has donated an enclosed trailer to the city to store and haul foam needed for fighting fires at the plant.

"I think it's an excellent opportunity for the city," fire chief Matt Aker told members of the Portland Board of Works this morning. "I think it'll be a great asset."

Aker said he plans to have Poet's logo put on the trailer, which is 6-feet by 14-feet, as a way of thanking the company for its donation.

Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said he plans to write a letter thanking the company. His fellow board of works members, Bob McCreery and Bill Gibson, will have the opportunity to sign it, Hosier said.

In other business today, board members voted to secure a three-year loan with a lower interest rate on the purchase of a new trash truck for the city.

In December, board members voted to purchase a new Loadal truck from Best Equipment at a cost of $180,428. Best Equipment offers loans to its customers through First Source Bank, Fort Wayne, which has an interest rate of 4.71 percent.

Linda Kennedy, city clerk-treasurer, said this morning that after the Dec. 20 meeting she decided to check with local banks to see if the city could get a better interest rate.

Old National Bank had the lowest interest rate at 3.85 percent.

The company also will charge a one-time $250 fee. Board members voted this morning to secure the loan through Old National because it was the lowest.

Other banks submitting quotes for rates were First Merchants Bank at 4.359 percent, MainSource Bank at 4.46 percent, Bank of Geneva at 4.59 percent, Pacesetter Bank at 4.7 percent and First Bank of Berne at 6.13 percent.

If the board had selected the First Merchants quote, the company also would have charged the city at one-time $150 fee.

The trash truck will replace a 5-year-old truck. The purchase price reflects a $6,500 trade-in value for the old truck.

Also this morning, board members:

•Approved a one-year consultant agreement with Kristi Sturtz of Sturtz Public Management Group.

The contract states that Sturtz will be paid no more than $15,000 for her services. Hosier said there are several projects this year that Sturtz will be working on. He declined to say what the projects are. She will help coordinate the projects, he said.

•Voted to adjust the sewage portion of a Portland resident's high water bill caused by a leak.

Traci Hilfiker, 902 W. High St., requested the leak adjustment. Kennedy said Hilfiker's water and sewage bill was $1,068.56.

The sewage portion of the bill will be adjusted down to a three-month average prior to the leak.[[In-content Ad]]
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