Salem has an opening on the city council

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News

SALEM ? Salem is looking for a new city council member.

Councilman Bruce Eltrich, who is serving his second term on the council, submitted his resignation letter at the conclusion of the meeting.

Eltrich said he is resigning immediately due to health reasons. The former councilman said he has heart problems and may eventually need a heart transplant.

?My health has deteriorated and I no longer can drive,? Eltrich said. ?I don?t think I can be effective any longer (due to health problems). I want to thank everybody for their time in working with me. I have enjoyed every minute of my service on the council.?

The council thanked Eltrich for his service and said he will be missed. Mayor Dan Patterson said the opening on the council will be discussed at the council?s April meeting.

The other major topic of conversation was that Fire Chief Steve Nichting finally received some of his turnout gear.

Nichting has been seeking new turnout gear for his department for months. He received it Tuesday night, albeit not all of the gear he desired.

But the council did not approve the request until after the matter received considerable debate.

Several council members said the city does not have the money and didn?t include the purchase in its fiscal 2018 budget. Nichting said the fire department has 18 members, the newest turnout gear is nearly 12 years old and new turnout gear would run $2,900 per member.

?We should have started buying this 10 years ago,? remarked Councilman Chuck Kramer.

Nichting reminded the council that it included $8,000 in the 2013-14 fiscal budget for capital expenses for the fire department and pledged to budget a similar amount each year.

?The fire department has $7,000 in its savings account and if you would have budgeted $8,000 the past four years, as you said, there would be $32,000 (in the budget for capital expenses),? the chief said.

Patterson said he thought the fire department?s capital expense fund money was placed in the city?s general fund ?and that should never have been done.?

Eltrich moved that the city purchase six units of turnout gear. But the motion died for a lack of a second.

?All we can do is table it and see if we can find the money,? Kramer said.

?When firemen get hurt or burned on the job, what is our liability?? asked Eltrich.

Kramer said purchasing six units couldn?t be done, that the city had to purchase more units or no units. ?We can?t do six because we don?t know which six would report to a fire. We have to get at least 10.?

Following more discussion, Nichting offered a compromise. He asked the council to at least consider purchasing the coats and pants, which would cost $2,000 per unit. ?That will keep you out of trouble, you can do the rest next year.?

Following Nichting?s suggestion, the council approved purchasing 18 units of coats and pants.

The council members hosted a public hearing on the fiscal 2018 budget, which drew no written or oral comments. The budget includes a $16.73 per $1,000 taxable valuation property tax levy.

Expenditures are listed at $318,200 and revenue $296,951. To balance the budget, the city will draw $21,249 from cash reserves. The city?s beginning balance on July 1, 2017, is projected at $126,843, and the ending balance on June 30, 2018, is listed at $105,594.

Council members meet again in regular session Tuesday, April 4, at 5:30 p.m. in the community building.