Chatfield’s Public Safety Funding for Police and Fire Equipment

At the November 25 Chatfield City Council meeting, approval was granted for use of some of the one-time public safety funding.

The one-time allocation was divided among several departments by the Personnel/Budget Committee: $33,242 for the Fire Department, $40,000 for Ambulance Department, $36,810 for Police Department, and $21,667 for Public Works.

Police Chief Shane Fox explained his department’s funds will be used to purchase six body cameras with iCloud storage. The Motorola quote asks for $15,938 up front and an annual payment of $7,008 for the next four years. The total cost for the cameras and storage in the amount of $43,970 was approved.

Fire Chief Luke Thieke explained the SCBA’s (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) the department currently have will be going out of service in the near future. A quote from Clarey’s Safety Equipment, Inc. was provided to replace the SCBA systems at a cost of $107,480.38. Approval was granted to purchase the new SCBA systems. The systems should arrive in February or March. A resolution authorizing entrance into a Joint and Cooperative Agreement for the purchase of the SCBA systems was adopted.

Other Business in Brief

• Ordinance 475, 2025 Omnibus Fee Schedule, was approved as presented. The printing of the full ordinance was approved.
• Craig Britton requested approval of pay application #7 in the amount of $46,703.90 to Killmer Electric Co. for work completed on the 2022 Water System Electrical Improvement Project. The revised contract total is $546,885.43. Balance to finish including retainage is $52,756.77. Britton said the majority of the project is complete. Next Thursday, December 5, a training session is scheduled. Everything is up and running. Pay application # 7 was approved.
• A motion was approved for a one-time payout of PTO for 2024 (annual leave conversion for 2024) as recommended by the Personnel/Budget.
• An amendment to the Personnel Policy, concerning part-time regular employees (less than 20 hours per week), was approved as recommended by Personnel/Budget. 
• A 2025 investment in the amount of $5,250 in RAEDI (Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc.) was approved as recommended by Personnel/Budget.
• City Administrator Michele Peterson reported she had been nominated to continue as chair of Community Council.
• A CCTV liaison contract with Andy O’Connor was approved for 2025.
• An allocation to the Bluff Country Hikers Club in the amount of $2,000 for annual costs associated with the Lost Creek Hiking Trail was approved.
• A special meeting of the city council was held on November 15 to certify the results of the election.
• A donation in the amount of $50,000 to the city from the Chatfield Firefighters Activities Association was accepted to be used for fire truck/equipment needs.
• A donation in the amount of $1,975.99 to the city from the Chatfield Firefighters Activities Association was accepted to be used for the purchase of an AED for the ambulance.