Council OKs fire department SCBA purchases

SIDNEY -- The Sidney City Council Tuesday approved the purchase of three additional self-contained breathing apparatus for the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department.

The council approved the purchase of 10 of 13 requested SCBAs in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The total cost for the three SCBAs is budgeted at $33,768. The cost includes six cylinders at $9,474, three standard SCBAs at $20,187 and three masks at $4,107. The replacement SCBAs will be Scott X3 Pro, the same models purchased previously by the City and the Sidney Rural Fire District. 

Fire Chief Matt Butts told the council the Fire Department has $42,578 in the equipment reserve. 

The council also agreed to keep with tradition and schedule one meeting for December. A second meeting would occur the day after Christmas. 

Caleb Sweetser met with the council regarding a "No Parking" sign on 21st Avenue. The sign is located at a home previously owned by the Sidney school district. The high school construction class remodeled the house to be sold as a single family residence. Sweetser purchased the home as his private residence. However, the sign was still in place, and the house was purchased in December 2022. The council agreed to have the sign removed.