Fire, police and public-works reports: new engine progress, staffing moves and street joint repairs underway
Summary
Department heads updated council on emergency services staffing and training, the arrival timeline of a new fire engine, and street joint repair work under way across the city; public works described prioritization for north-side repairs and a truck-and-a-half of material ordered for joint and patch work.
Fire and police chiefs and the public-works director provided operational updates at the June 5 meeting.
Fire department: The fire chief reported 333 calls to date in the year for the department, including 47 calls in Lincoln for the period through May. The department continues training, promoted probationary firefighters after certification, and is using part-time hires to increase North Station coverage. The chief said interior work on the new fire station is complete and exterior work remains; the department also received first photos of a new fire engine under construction and expects completion in late summer or early fall.
Police: The police department reported hiring Officer Corey Mahoney, who began work in May, and noted other staffing and training activity including an officer attending the state training academy.
Public works and streets: The engineering report and public-works director described a street-joint repair project that started the previous week; crews are working in the northwest and will move to south-side streets. The contractor has worked in multiple crews and the project is moving faster than anticipated. The city ordered sufficient material (one truck-and-a-half) to cover prioritized north-side repairs; public works explained sequencing and snow-storage considerations for driveway and boulevard work.
No formal council action was required for the reports; staff will continue to update the council as work progresses.
