Mike Lasorsa is the newest recipient of the Beatty Town Advisory Board Good Citizen Award. Lasorsa was not present at the Dec. 9 town meeting, but board member Erika Gerling particularly cited Lasorsa’s role in planting and caring for the town Christmas Tree.
Lasorsa served as the town’s only paid firefighter for many years before retiring. He is involved in the community in various ways and even drives the transportation van for the Senior Center.
In other town business, the board struggled a bit with a request for the purchase of heating and air-conditioning units for the old and new fire halls.
Gerling and Chairman Dick Gardner wanted to know more about the insulation, or lack thereof, in the buildings. The older building is basically cement block. The new one is a steel building with insulation in some rooms, but evidently little or none on the steel walls of the equipment bays.
“Before we go any farther with this,” said Gardner, “we need to know how much insulation there is.”
“The thing’s going to be running 24-7,” said Gerling, “and the $30,000 we have in the budget for their utilities is going to be eaten up.”
Gerling also said that the purchase of the AC units would leave the fire department with only $46,000 in their capital projects fund until June.
The board decided to table the matter pending a report on the amount of insulation in the building.
The board also considered the purchase of a self-propelled articulating man-lift. Without such a unit the maintenance man has to stand on the top of a 15-foot ladder to service lights in the big room.
Originally, Randy Reed had found a new lift that would cost close to $50,000. Since then, Secretary Carrie Radomski has confirmed with county purchasing that it is okay for them to purchase a used unit. So far, one has been found, and research is ongoing to locate others.
Gerling said that when they acquire this equipment they will have to establish a policy regarding who will be allowed to use it. “Otherwise we’ll be getting calls from people wanting to borrow it to put up Christmas lights.”
The board had the option of eliminating their second meeting in December, which falls on the 22nd, very near Christmas.
They determined, however, that enough members would be available, and they did not want to keep the fire department waiting for the opportunity to address their insulation question, so they voted to keep the meeting scheduled.