Commission approves two fire command vehicles, adopts traffic and public-offense codes and authorizes FAA reimbursement; wastewater agreement updated

The Harrington City Commission approved a five-year lease-purchase for two Dodge Durango command units for the Harrington Fire Department and took a string of other formal actions Tuesday, including adopting updated model traffic and public-offense codes, authorizing an FAA reimbursement agreement for runway-lighting testing, and approving an updated wastewater discharge agreement with Union Pacific.

The lease-purchase decision authorizes purchase of two former Kansas Highway Patrol Dodge Durango units, already outfitted for emergency response, with a $20,000 down payment and a five-year payment schedule. Chief (name not specified) told the commission the department’s current first-responder vehicles are wearing out and said the Durangos are preferable for routine medical and first-response calls. “It’s a safety risk,” Chief (name not specified) said of retaining the older vehicles.

The commission approved the lease purchase on a roll-call vote; recorded ayes included Commissioner Naylor, Commissioner Stapp and Commissioner Bell (motion and second recorded in the minutes). The city manager recommended Option 1 — the $20,000 down payment and five-year term — as the most…