Maumee OKs $400,000 in projects

5/25/2006

Maumee City Council approved about $400,000 in appropriations for a variety of capital projects last week.

That includes $11,200 for the Maumee Indoor Theatre, $50,000 for repairs at the Wolcott House, and $55,000 for repairs to sanitary and storm sewers and water lines.

Improvements at the theater include a piano, metal scaffolding for productions on the stage, and six two-way radios.

The budget also sets aside $2,500 for unplanned capital expenses at the theater.

The city also plans to replace a number of vehicles in the service department, including a leaf picker, an aerial lift van, a street sweeper, several pickups, and a sedan.

Officials decided to reconsider replacing some vehicles that are six or seven years old but have only about 40,000 miles on them.

"We put some of those vehicles off a year," Todd Zimmerman, chair of council's finance committee, said.

City officials also decided to delay some other purchases or projects for at least another year, including dugouts at Rolf Park and a bomb-sniffing dog, Mr. Zimmerman said.

Council also appropriated $7,000 for the recently completed public safety training center off of Mingo Drive, including $1,000 for foam simulated furniture for the maze house.

Other appropriations made last week for the safety departments include $25,000 for police and fire computer equipment, $10,000 for hoses and other fire truck equipment, and $10,000 for a cardiac monitor.

The city has begun preliminary work on a new fire station on Illinois Avenue and plans to advertise for bids for its construction later this year.

Projects that need more discussion before bids are advertised include infrastructure improvements for the proposed Fallen Timbers shopping center, a parking lot in the 200 block of Conant Street, and a study for a left turn onto Conant Street.