Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta Fire Department, Freedom Park and the city’s Utilities GIS Division will undergo improvements totaling $1,684,487.95 during the next two years.

At Valdosta City Council’s latest meeting, council members unanimously approved several funding items:

– Two new Sutphen fire engines, over Fiscal Year 2023 budget by approximately $78,694

Valdosta Fire Chief Brian Boutwell told council the Valdosta Fire Department is in immediate need for two fire engines proposed by Williams Fire Apparatus due to the current supply environment and the condition of two 1998 reserve engines that are increasingly challenging to keep in service.

“We were fortunate enough earlier this year to be able to buy a demo at a much lower cost and much faster build time. Under the current economic environment, we’re looking at 22-24 months build time and an increase in price quarterly instead of annually,” he said.

“In the fiscal year budget, we approved $734,454 per engine. With the increase, engines are at $813,148. If we have approval to proceed with this purchase, and we have a purchase order issued by Sept. 14, we’ll be able to purchase them at $813,148. After Sept. 14, each engine goes up to $838,148. These are replacement engines for 1 and 5.”

Council member Andy Gibbs inquired about the resale value of the old engines and Boutwell said selling them to smaller communities would result in “hundreds of dollars” instead of thousands depending on their condition.

City Manager Mark Barber also noted to Mayor Scott James Matheson that any motions with approval would have to come with a stipulation that the city’s finance director has permission to seek “viable financing options” for the two new engines.

Council member Sandra Tooley questioned the source of funding for the new engines considering their approval in Fiscal Year 2023, and Matheson, Barber, Gibbs, Boutwell and Council member Eric Howard said the payment is on delivery, the city may be able to offset the extra spending and the approval would give them the “safety net” needed to navigate.

The two new engines made up the bulk of the council’s local funding approvals, totaling $1,626,296.

– A new utility easement for Freedom Park

Jason Barnes, superintendent of the city’s water treatment plant, told City Council that Freedom Park is operated by the Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority and is situated on property owned by the City of Valdosta.

The park’s concession stand and the restrooms discharge their wastewaters into an onsite septic tank but the septic tank has required inconvenient regular maintenance and the associated costs.

“I know, usually on the weekends, they have a bunch of ball tournaments, they got several teams there, and they (the septic tank) just can’t keep up. So it’s one reason why we’re asking for this approval,” he said.

VLPRA proposed installing a small lift station and force main that will pump the concession stand and bathroom waste discharge through a new sanitary service line to the city’s gravity sewer main that is located on property owned by East & West Investments adjacent to Freedom Park.

A small portion of property where VLPRA will have to traverse with the new sanitary sewer service line will require the granting of a utility easement by East N’ West Investments to the city. Per the city’s code, the facilities will be within a 20-foot-wide utility easement.

East N’ West Investments has agreed to provide the easement for $3,500 and council unanimously agreed to the proposal.

– Geographic Information System survey equipment, software and training

Barnes said the GIS division in the city utilities department is operating survey equipment and software purchased more than 10 years ago, meaning the current GIS survey equipment is unsupported for repair or replacement parts.The new survey equipment and software will allow field personnel to collect GIS and survey data at significantly increased satellite network connection times (400-500% improvement) allowing connection to previously unavailable constellations of Galileo satellites and improved efficiency.

The division brokered a deal with Trimble Dealer Supplier for $36,696.65 for the following equipment:

– Trimble TSC7 Handheld Data Collector

– Trimble General Survey Perp Lic.

Funding for this GIS equipment, software and training was approved for the FY23 utilities budget.

– New Ground Penetrating Radar utility detection equipment and software

Barnes presented the item to council and said the utilities GIS division has a significant number of 811 locate tickets that are processed each month to locate water and sewer assets to protect them from damage from developers, builders, underground utilities contractors or other utilities owners work within the city’s rights-of-way or easements.

The utilities department does not own any GPR utility detection locate equipment.

Leica Geosystems Supplier has offered the department supplies for a total of $17,995:

– Four-wheel ground penetrating radar utility detector

– CT1000 controller with LTE for EU & US/CAN

– Power cord for AC/DC adapter

– One full day of training

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