Council directs staff to study high‑volume well options, sirens and security upgrades

Nowthen councilors asked staff to prepare specific cost and feasibility analyses for several public‑safety infrastructure items, including a high‑volume well for fire operations, emergency sirens and an upgraded security system for city buildings.

Council members said a recent event showed the department’s need for more available water and that funding for a high‑volume well was not currently in the 2026 budget. The council discussed options including drilling multiple wells, budgeting the project for 2027, or evaluating a privately offered pivot well with potential lower initial costs if the landowner were willing to allow access.

"If we're planning on actually doing it next year, then to me there needs to be some sort of prep going on somehow," a council member said, and asked Chief Miller to present options and cost estimates to council in the coming months.

On emergency sirens, councilors noted a budget allocation exists for 2026 and asked that the chief and staff present timing and required equipment in April or May. For building security, staff reported multiple vendor bids and asked council to watch total lifecycle costs (installation plus ongoing monitoring), not only initial bids.

The council directed: (1) Fire Chief Miller to return with a written evaluation of well options and rough budgets, (2) staff to schedule the sirens discussion in April/May, and (3) procurement staff to provide a three‑year total cost comparison for candidate security systems so the council can decide whether to accept monthly monitoring fees or prefer an equipment‑only approach.

No formal appropriation or vote occurred at the meeting.