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This is a stock photo of an ambulance, not an actual representation of the type of ambulance the city of Cordell wants to purchase.
The Cordell City Council met Jan. 19 for its regular monthly meeting and discussed railroad improvements, new equipment for departments and police body cams.
Some items were pushed off to the next budget cycle because of fiscal concerns.
Council members all agreed to move forward with railroad improvements for the GNBC Railroad Crossing on 4th Street. The crossing will have lights and gates installed, among other work. While the entirety of the project will cost about $430,000, according to city administrator JC Moser, the city’s portion will only be $26,000 with federal aid.
Also, the members have agreed to authorize Mayor Jerry Beech to proceed with the application for financial assistance so the city can pursue a new ambulance.
The fire department wants to invest in a new $224,269 ambulance with the grant, which will come from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. If approved, the grant will cover 95% of the cost of the ambulance, leaving the city’s portion at $11,804.
Council members have agreed to push the decision to buy new body cams for the police department until the new fiscal year.
Police chief Brandon Rogers said he had zero heard complaints from officers on the current bodycams since the latest update has been downloaded.
“During my conversation with the chief of police, we decided since the body cameras they currently have are working and the City Council has provided the police department with several large items this year we would recommend not purchasing any new body cameras this fiscal year and to try and work them into next year’s budget,” Moser said in his administrator’s report to the council.
During the meeting, Moser said the city should postpone purchasing any more new body cameras until the next budget, if at all possible.
Mayor Beech agreed. “I don’t typically have recommendations, because I don’t want to
Mayor Beech agreed. change anyone’s thoughts, but we have helped the police with a lot of other things. The body cams are working,” Beech said. “We have a lot of departments that really need some things. I would like to move this on to the next fiscal year and look at it at that point and see what’s going on.”
The item was deferred and no action was taken. It can be discussed and added to the agenda at a later time.
Last month, the council approved spending $15,840 to buy five new tasers for the police department.
The cost would include warranty for five years.
Moser said the city has received the tasers for the police department and are scheduling qualifications as soon as possible.
Acting as the Utilities Authority Board, trustees decided to spend $16,500 to switch over its billing system to Jayhawk Billing Software.
Also, the city will buy two new trucks for its utilities workers.
The next council meeting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Community Center. The council met on Tuesday last week because its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday fell on a holiday.