Newly named Manila Chief of Police Chris Hill, on behalf of the department and the city council, presented former Chief James Skinner with his duty weapon in a presentation at the regular January city council meeting Monday.
Chief Skinner retired at the end of 2018.
“We appreciate your years of service to the city,” Mayor Wayne Wagner said. “We all wish you the best in your retirement."
Manila Fire Chief Tracey Reinhart gave an update on the department. The tanker truck the department received from the Forestry Department has had $1,700 in repairs. Partnering with Moving Manila Forward (MMF) in last year's barbecue festival the department raised enough money for the painting. The department is now taking donations for $20 for yard signs showing support of the fire department.
Anyone wishing to donate can call Reinhart at 870-640-7303. Reinhart said about $3,000 is needed to finish the tanker truck.
“We have received a lot of community support for the ladder truck,” Reinhart said. “It needs hoses, hand ladders and nozzles. We want to get the truck in service for the community.”
There is a need for a new rescue unit.
Reinhart said the department answered 197 calls last year with 146 being First Responders and 51 house fires, grass fires and automobile accidents. The Manila Fire Department had 25 members and one has moved out of the area. Reinhart said they will be addressing a replacement in the near future.
Councilman Jason Baltimore said the council is committed to getting the ladder truck in service.
Councilman Steven Milligan asked the fire chief to gather estimates on what is needed and bring the cost to the council.
Fireman Sonny Ray Dill spoke to the council about the upcoming barbecue festival.
“We had a great festival last year,” Dill said. “We had 5,000 people on our main street for the event. It will be held the third Saturday in April every year and we are working on it. We learned from last year and we expect more participants this year. Since it is Easter weekend, we will have an Easter egg hunt for the children. We have twice as many competitive vendors signed up and there will be acar show this year."
Dill said there will be a MMF meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the fire station to discuss the barbecue festival.
He invited the council members to attend.
The council discussed with the fire chief the possible areas to add additional bays to the firehouse for the ladder truck and the tanker truck.
Councilman Milligan talked about the new gymnasium floor at the Manila High School gymnasium.
“Through the efforts of our mayor and the generosity of Southworth, the gymnasium floor has been refinished and it is great,” Milligan said.
Milligan is the assistant principal and athletic director at MHS.
“Today Brian McManara, president of Southworth, and other members of the
group toured our high school and got to see the floor,” Milligan said.
“We will have a dedication tomorrow night at the basketball game and I hope you all can be there.”
The council discussed the city transfer station.
Mayor Wagner talked about the cost.
“We want to continue to serve our citizens but we are getting a lot of construction items,” he said. “We want them to continue building and I talked to one contractor today. We have talked providing a dumpster for the construction items and we want to be fair to builders.”
On average it costs the city about $1,200 a month to take the dumpsters to the landfill. Wagner said they will meet with local contractors and discuss it.
The city has 10 acres which was once used for the city dump.
Mayor Wagner said he will look into a permit to be able to burn limbs, which will help. He said the acreage could also be used for the school's trap shoot team.
Following an executive session the council voted unanimously, on the recommendation of Chief Hill, to offer a position on the police department to Michael Myatt. Hill said he is a certified officer.
— The council approved the repair and painting of the tetrahedron estimate of $1,500 at the Manila Airport.
— The council voted unanimously to retain police court Judge Shannon Langston and city attorney Wes Wagner at their current pay.
— Mayor Wagner encouraged anyone interested in being annexed into the city to contact city hall in February. The city will be submitting petitions for the annexation. Wagner said they will try to keep the annexation equal in population for the three districts.