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Nowthen council approves one outdoor warning siren for Twin Lakes after budget gap discussion
Summary
The Nowthen City Council approved purchase and installation of an additional outdoor warning siren sited at Twin Lakes, after officials and councilors debated coverage, vendor compatibility and a roughly $2,238 budget shortfall and contingency. Council approved moving forward by voice vote.
The Nowthen City Council voted to move forward with purchase and installation of a Federal Signal outdoor warning siren at Twin Lakes, approving council action after a wide-ranging discussion about coverage, compatibility and a modest budget shortfall.
Fire Chief (S6) told the council the consultants recommended Twin Lakes as the optimal siren location and that equipment price increases have taken the project from the budgeted $40,460 to $42,698, “so we would be short by $2,238,” he said. The chief also recommended a contingency equal to about 10% of the project (about $4,270) to cover unexpected installation issues such as underground obstructions.
Council members questioned whether the city should rely on sirens alone, noting county and cellular alert systems. One council member (S9) noted a cost comparison: “At $50 a piece, 9 sirens is not 1 weather radio per household,” and argued the city could buy weather radios for many residents for substantially less. Chief S6 and other councilors emphasized that sirens reach people outdoors without cell service and that Federal Signal equipment is widely used and compatible with county programming.
Councilors also discussed vendor and installation constraints: the chief said Federal Signal is the manufacturer that matches the city’s existing system and that few contractors install these systems, which raises installation costs. The chief described the siren itself as roughly $15,000 and installation as the pricier component.
After debate about alternatives and funding sources (including the possibility of using a recent $7,000 donation to the fire department), the council made a motion and approved proceeding with the single siren, voting by voice. The motion carried; the transcript records the vote as a voice aye/nay without a roll-call tally.
The council’s next steps are to finalize the purchase order, confirm whether county programming will require any additional charges, and coordinate installation scheduling with the selected contractor and Federal Signal.
