The City of Black Hawk City Council approved the purchase of a new fire engine for about $1 million during a regular meeting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 211 Church Street in Black Hawk. The Council also approved beginning-of-the-year business, including naming the newspaper of record.

Fire Chief Chris Woolley, who rang the traditional bell to start the meeting, introduced a resolution approving the purchase of an Enforcer fire engine from Pierce Manufacturing, Inc., for $953,605.

“In an effort to maintain a fully functional fleet of fire apparatus, the fire department makes every effort to maintain a fire engine replacement plan that provides for apparatus to remain in service for a total of 20 years,” he wrote in his request. “This includes 10 years as a front-line apparatus and 10 years in reserve status.

“Due to the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, this plan was disrupted, as a request for a new fire engine should have been presented in 2020 for a delivery in 2022. The Department’s current front-line fire engine was manufactured by Rosenbauer in 2012 and was due to be moved to reserve status last year.

“Furthermore, our current reserve apparatus, a 1996 RK Ferrara ladder truck and a 2001 KME fire engine, have exceeded their expected life span. Due to the ages of the reserve apparatus, they have become susceptible to increased cost and labor to maintain.

“The purchase of the Pierce stock fire engine would allow the department to more closely return to the established replacement plan and facilitate the disposal of an aging piece of fire apparatus. A new fire engine purchase has been budgeted for 2023; however, ongoing manufacturing and supply chain disruptions have caused extended delivery times between 24 and 40 months.”

Fire Department personnel found this Pierce Manufacturing stock fire engine currently being manufactured, with an anticipated delivery date in April 2023. As a result, the Fire Department requests to purchase a Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. fire engine for the quoted price of $953,605.

Woolley told the Council he would get the million-dollar purchase out of the way. COVID put a damper on ordering apparatus, but the truck is on the assembly line right now and can be delivered in April. They will retire the ladder truck and dispose of it.

The Council approved the purchase.

The Council approved appointing Chris Woolley to the Gilpin Ambulance Authority Board and ratified the appointment of Lynnette Hailey on behalf of the Silver Dollar Metro District. City Attorney Corey Hoffmann added that Black Hawk Police Chief Michelle Moriarty would be the alternate.

Board members are elected for a three-year term, and Hailey’s appointment started a year ago. Woolley’s appointment will begin this year. Hoffmann said the Chief of Police drew the short straw as alternate.

City Clerk Melissa Greiner introduced an ordinance regarding the official newspaper of the City of Black Hawk. According to background, the Weekly Register- Call (WRC) is the only newspaper to hold a United States Postal Service Periodical Permit to publish in Gilpin County.

Staff received the Weekly Register- Call’s letter of intent to be the City’s Newspaper of Record on December 28, 2022, and recommends amending the code to designate the Weekly Register-Call as the sole official newspaper for publication of the City’s legal notices and to remove reference to any other newspaper. The Council approved the resolution.

Community Planning and Development Director Cindy Linker introduced a resolution approving certain service agreements for calendar year 2023. Community Planning and Development uses professional services to supplement City staff time, provide an independent perspective, ensure credibility and serve as a technical advisor to the Department. The Professional and Personal Services Agreements are a budgeted item, each with a not-to-exceed amount. Effective dates for these agreements are January 11, 2023, through January 10, 2024. The Council approved the resolution.

Linker introduced a resolution approving the City of Black Hawk Fee Schedule as amended. Linker said they have minor changes. One would concern major projects. SAFEbuilt worked over and beyond on a project that was delayed. In future, staff will sit down with anyone proposing a major project, and if they exceed the timeline discussed, then the contractor would pay SAFEbuilt a fee. It is an incentive for contractors to stay on schedule.

While preparing the 2023 Professional Services Agreements, for ATIS, Baseline, and SAFEbuilt, City staff discovered in the conversations with the consultants that an amendment to the fee schedule was required. The Council approved the fee schedule as amended.

The next meeting of the City of Black Hawk Council will be on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. For more information, go to https://www.cityofblackhawk.org/.