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Okolona council authorizes steps to pursue replacement fire engine, approves payment‑rounding policy, insurance and personnel actions
Summary
At its Nov. 4 meeting the Okolona mayor and city council authorized staff to pursue options to replace a fire-truck engine, approved a policy to allow payment-center rounding pending regulatory approval, renewed park-and-rec insurance, and approved personnel actions including a police probation and a full-time hire.
Okolona — The Okolona mayor and city council on Nov. 4 authorized staff to pursue acquisition options for a failed engine on a 2004 fire truck, approved a policy that lets the city's payment center round cash transactions pending regulatory signoff, renewed insurance for the parks and recreation department and took personnel actions.
The council discussed the fire truck’s history and condition after the engine failed. The presiding official said the city bought the truck in 2004 and the engine has since failed; council members noted the truck’s age, mileage and the high lead time for new chassis. The council voted to authorize Mark (or another designated staff member) to begin pursuing acquisition and procurement steps for a replacement or rebuilt engine so the department can evaluate repair and replacement costs and timing.
“...the fire truck that we purchased in 2004, the engine went out,” the presiding official said, arguing the city should move quickly to explore options. Council members discussed whether putting significant money into the older vehicle is prudent given retirement timelines for the apparatus.
On municipal payments, council members debated a proposal to have the payment center round cash transactions up or down as pennies become less available. The presiding official said pennies are being phased out and banks are limiting penny distribution; council members also discussed including the electric department in any rounding policy. The council amended the motion to add the electric department and approved the policy contingent on final approval from the regulatory agency referenced in the meeting (referred to there as "TBA").
“We can start the process. TBA is our regulatory agency. When TBA clears it...we can move forward,” the presiding official said during the exchange.
The council approved a $600 renewal quote from River Valley Underwriters for insurance covering the parks and recreation department after a council member asked that the renewal be brought before the board instead of being signed administratively.
On personnel matters the council voted to place Jordan Harris on six months’ probation with drug testing as a condition, and approved hiring Cameron Chandler full time at $15 an hour for a non‑certified position pending a drug test and six months’ probation.
Votes at a glance - Authorized staff to pursue fire-engine acquisition steps: approved (motion carried). - Payment-center rounding policy (includes electric department pending regulatory signoff): approved (amendment passed, two opposed were recorded on the amendment vote). - River Valley Underwriters insurance renewal for parks and rec ($600): approved. - Jordan Harris: six months’ probation with drug testing: approved. - Cameron Chandler: full‑time hire at $15/hour, pending drug test and six months’ probation: approved.
Why it matters: The engine authorization affects public-safety equipment and future repair or replacement costs; the payment-centering decision changes how the city will handle low‑value cash transactions as pennies become less available; personnel actions affect staffing for the police department and city operations.
What’s next: Staff will pursue procurement options and return details for council review; the rounding policy will proceed only after the city’s referenced regulatory agency gives approval.
