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Bicknell leaders order town-wide inventory, weigh insured values for buildings and equipment
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Summary
Bicknell council agreed to build a shared inventory and reassess insured values for town buildings, vehicles and park assets after finding some listed items may be under- or over-valued; volunteers will walk properties and staff will prepare a shared spreadsheet for replacement-value estimates.
Mayor Noreen opened discussion on the town’s insurance inventory, noting that a list circulated by a council member needs verification and that several members had not completed their assigned counts. The council agreed on a shared inventory and a process to reconcile listed insured values with what is actually on town property.
The council focused on high-priority categories — buildings, park assets, large equipment and items stored at the firehouse and town shop. Committee members questioned whether low-value items should remain insured because the deductible is $1,000. One member said, “The deductible is 1,000 dollars on it and it says it's only worth 5,000,” noting the cost-benefit of insuring a 4-wheeler or small tools. Another member summarized the group’s plan: “We can have an inventory list so we kinda know what is everywhere.”
Council members reviewed insured values for the culinary pump house, town shops, Veterans Park structures, playground equipment and a listed firehouse rebuild value. They flagged items that may require higher replacement values (playground, water tanks, large generators) and discussed the likely effect on the town’s premium if insured limits are raised.
Decision and follow-up: the council asked staff to create a shared Google Sheets inventory with columns for assessed/replacement value and insurance status. Members volunteered to walk specific sites (community garden, cemetery, shop containers) and to note items that either should be insured at replacement value or removed from coverage because they fall below the deductible. The plan is to update values, accept that raising coverage will increase premiums, and reconvene with revised estimates.
The council did not record a formal vote on insurance changes at this meeting; the next steps are the site walk, spreadsheet completion, and review at a future work meeting.