
It was a busy week for Village officials last week. Besides the day to day demands there was a sales presentation and two committee meetings.
On Monday morning a sales representative for Vance's Law Enforcement was in town demonstrating Taser guns. Vance's Law Enforcement specializes in police equipment. Taser guns are the ones that shoot a combative villain with a non-lethal electrical charge to incapacitate them. It's a neuro muscular incapacitation that locks up the muscles long enough to get restraints on them. It shoots two barbs that create a circuit through the body to deliver up to 50,000 volts to shock the perpetrator.
Mayor Susan Haugh said the Village is hoping to upgrade the equipment for the Police Department. The other taser like weapons they have, or had, are wearing out and parts and repairs are extremely expensive. The Mayor said that new ones are needed for the safety of the Wellsville officers.
The Mayor reported that the new tasers will run around $1,200 to $1,300 each. She said the next step is to come up with the funds to finance the new weapons. The Village is putting three of them on their wish list. Pictured here is Sales Specialist Scott Long, Mayor Haugh & WPD Chief Joe Scarabino going over the specifications on the new Tasers.
Monday afternoon there was a Finance Committee meeting with the Village's health insurance agency representatives. Called the “Cadillac” of health insurance the current policy expires April 1. The health insurance is given to Village employees at no cost to the employee. They get 100% coverage with no deductible or co-pay requirements. Village officials were advised if they keep the same policy the cost would increase 22.9% on April 1.
Members of the Finance Committee attending were advised that the 22.9% increase could be brought down a negative increase percentage if different options were applied when the policy is renewed. The Committee was given several different options to consider. Those options included such things as employee contributions, to individual and family deductibles, co-pays and Health Reimbursement Accounts to name just a few.
On Friday there was a Personnel Committee meeting to consider three items to be presented at the next Council meeting. The first is the addition of two Village residents to the paid call-out roster for the Fire Department. Fire Chief Bill Smith advised both men will need the required training to be certified. That training cost will be reimbursed to the Village through a standing State grant. That standing grant is a “no match” grant.
The other two items were for approval for grant applications for the Fire Department. The first is another State grant for $15,000 for new equipment. If approved it is another “no-match” grant. The second is a FEMA grant to add two full-time fire fighters to the department. FEMA will pay for the first two years with hopes the Village can pay for at least an additional two years. Unlike the COPS grant there is no requirement to pay for any additional time. The Committee decided to present all three items at the next Council meeting.
Council meets in regular session on Tuesday, February 21, at 6 PM at Village Hall.
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