By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

EDGARD – Facility expansion and improvements at the Garyville Fire Station, and purchase of a rescue pumper for the Reserve Fire Department were on the agenda at Tuesday’s meeting of the St. John the Baptist Parish Council’s Finance Committee in Edgard.

Members of the committee awarded Aegis Construction of LaPlace, authorization to begin construction on a two-story addition to the Garyville Fire Station. The construction firm submitted a bid of over $1.08 million for the additional building floor, and $72,657 for construction of a parking lot for the station.

St. John the Baptist Parish Director of Public Safety Paul Oncale said the bids from Aegis were the lower of two total bids submitted for approval. He said the other bid came from Olympian Builders of Metairie, LA, who submitted a base bid of $1.35 million for the addition, and $105,000 for the parking lot.

Oncale said the additional floor would expand the Historic West Street station to 5,600 square feet of total space. The project will add administrative offices, sleeping quarters, meeting space, and training space to the existing building.

Along with the Garyville expansion, the Finance Committee also allowed authorization for the Reserve Fire Department to purchase a fully equipped rescue pumper from Ferrara Fire Apparatus Inc., a company out of Holden, LA.

Oncale said the fire department would pay $516,792.94 for the 1500 series rescue vehicle. He said the department would put $100,000 down, and make yearly payments of $466,792.94 over a span of seven years.

Reserve Fire Chief Glenn Bourg said the high price of the vehicle comes from the fact that the department would be getting it fully equipped.

“This pumper will have all the bells and whistles,” said Bourg. “The hose, nozzle, ladders, and everything else will come with the truck.”

Bourg said that when trucks are purchased like this, fire departments have to request additional features separate. He said when he made the request for the truck, he wanted to have everything the department needed.

Bourg said the pumper would be delivered to the department sometime in November of 2008.

Other issues discussed at Tuesday’s meeting included a resolution by Division A Council Member Cleveland Farlough to authorize the parish attorney to enter into negotiations to purchase property in Mt. Airy to be used for recreational purposes.

“I have always been in favor of neighborhood parks,” said Farlough. “There is property available, there are funds available, and we should take advantage.”

Farlough had no specifics as far as what to use the property for, but stated that the parish should jump at any opportunity to keep the youth of St. John off the streets.

The resolution passed unanimously, 7-0, with two members absent for the vote.