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The Houghton Fire Department is getting a new fire truck.
The new vehicle is a 2015 model with 7,000 miles on it and will be equipped with a 100 foot aerial platform.
The total cost of the truck is $1,017,500.
The City of Houghton applied for a loan through USDA Rural Development for $462,000, repaid over 15 years at 2.75 percent.
The loan payment will be approximately $38,000 a year.
The balance of $555,500 will be paid out of the equipment fund in the city’s budget.
The projected life of the vehicle is 25 years and it will be an upgrade to the 1986 model the city has been using since 2009.
The Houghton Fire Department has also received a FEMA grant for up to $92,000 to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus and emergency egress units.
The units include a Kevlar harness that fits over the firefighter’s bumper pants with 25 feet of thin fireproof strap with a hook so the person can hang from the outside of a building if they are trapped by a fire.
The city will contribute $4,614 with the FEMA grant paying the remaining balance.
Curbside recycling in Houghton appears to be improving each week according to Houghton City Manager Eric Waara’s report.
The recycling carts are delayed at the factory, however. The full shipment is expected later this month.
The City of Houghton’s new full-time Code Enforcer is already hard at work.
Jeff Jepsen started in the position after Labor Day and has been spending time getting up to speed, studying issues and observing rental inspections.
Jepsen will spend more time in the field during the fall and will begin preparations for next year over the winter.
The full-time Code Enforcement position was established in response to numerous complaints from local residents that rental units were not following city ordinances.
Looking ahead, the City of Houghton’s Fall Clean-Up will take place between September 30th and October 30th.
Certain items may be disposed of at the City Garage during that time. Details will be posted on the city’s website.
And mark your calendars–Treat Street will take place on a new day this year.
The annual downtown event will take place in Houghton on Saturday, October 29h.
This change will make it easier for motorists to navigate through the city while Shelden Avenue is closed off for the event.
Treat Street will also have an earlier start time, the event will run from 4:30pm to 6:00pm.
