The Mount Gilead Fire Department will soon receive a number of equipment and capital upgrades.
MGFD Chief Greg Young informed village council members that the department received a matching grant from the state to receive breathing apparatus upgrades from Fire Safety Service.
“The village needs to match 5 percent of the grant,” the chief said.
The amount the village will be responsible for a sum, which amounts to roughly $6350. Through the sale of two vehicles on govdeals.net, the department will cover $5000 of the total.
“The (money from the sales) will go to cover a lot of the village’s match for the grant,” Young said.
Additionally, council will draft a resolution to allow the fire department to solicit bids for a new brush truck.
Young explained that a new brush truck will free up the current truck for everyday use.
Long-range planning
Updating other council members, Councilperson Donna Carver explained the long-range planning commission is looking into forming a Mount Gilead based group similar to the Friends of Cardington.
The group aims to promote commerce in Cardington and the commission is interested in launching a pro-Mount Gilead organization to foster economic growth in the village.
Village administrator
Mount Gilead Village Administrator Dan Rogers stated that eight blighted trees from around the village have been removed by the street department.
He also said the department is currently not able to patch potholes on Mount Gilead streets because of a shortage of coldmix used in the process.
Rogers stated that the village’s usual distributors are out of the material.
Council also set the date and time for Mount Gilead’s trick-or-treat event. It is slated for Oct. 29 from 5-6 p.m. throughout the village.
Mount Gilead Village Council will meet next on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in the village council chambers.
