LAUREL HILL — The Laurel Hill City Council will refinance a Water Department loan and has approved a search for a 50-50 grant for its volunteer fire department.
Council member Debra Adams motioned Nov. 3 to refinance the Water Department rural development loan, which passed with a vote of 4-1. Travis Dewrell dissented. If the new refinance rate comes back higher than the current 3.6 percent interest rate, the council will vote on it again.
In other actions, Jimbo Fields, deputy fire chief of the Laurel Hill Volunteer Fire Department, addressed the council about the need to update or replace equipment such as firetruck emergency lights, a generator, radios, bunker gear and the skid unit.
A skid unit is a portable item with a pump and a tank on it that the department would use to fight brush and vehicle fires. Skid units cost about $10,000, and are more cost-effective than adding a new firetruck, which costs about $300,000.The skid would be placed in the back of an F-350 truck being donated to the department. Other equipment replacement costs total to $2,000.
The council approved Fields' request. If the funds are granted, the Division of Forestry would provide 50 percent of the funding, with the city providing the other 50.
The next council meeting is 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at city hall, 8209 U.S. Highway 85 N.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill council approves loan refinancing, 50-50 grant search