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Show mm m. m t a Jivy -- LL mi mm m m 9 Promised Pn m Ace Stryker DAILY HERALD Provo Mayor Lewis Billings's proposed budget for fiscal 2009 has so far garnered generally good reviews, though the city Employees Association is staying mum for now about proposed cuts to employee benefits. "What we want to do is work with J:he administration and the council and not do anything to alienate any one," said President Skip Tandy. The mayor's budget includes several hits to city employees, including alfewer bonusesvno lowances, soma pay increases being halved, and an end to parity, the city's policy of equalizing contributions to retirements for employees across all departments. Tandy said he will take up the issue during the Municipal Council's public hearings on the budget, the first of which will. g t v v SEaiON 0 l kj m y m mm METRO EDITOR THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2008 Amie Rose 344-253- 0 aroseheraldextra.com M faring well so far be June 3. Council Vice Chairman George Stewart said he thinks scaling back city employee benefits is a fair response to sluggish revenue projections for the upcoming year. "I've always felt like you need to face the facts of your current reality, whether they're brutal facts or good facts," he said. "We're city employees. We rise and fall like any company employee would with the revenue . coming into the company." Mitigating financial shortfalls by spreading their effects over the city workforce is a better option than simply laying off a few people, Stewart said. "I think we need to share the pain," he said "I'm personally happy to have a job." Easily the most popular part of Tuesday morning's presentation was the announcement that the city would sell its iProvo fiber-optinetwork for $40.6 million. The city has been losing about $2 million a year in sustaining the network. "Hallelujah," responded Councilman Steve Turley immediately after the presentation. That sentiment was echoed by dozens of other city employees who applauded during the presentation. c See C3 BUDGET, Getting Set for Summer llili man ..i.iMi.1- . ' ' - 3 "" 1 J' .. f Mi J MARIO Bruce Lundell RUIZDaily Herald of Color Blue Pools sets up a safety line for crews to finish resurfacing the slide with a slick and durable new finish at the Lehi Swimming Pool on Wednesday. SpringiUe construction to cost less than expected Martin Conover SPRINGVILLE HERALD Springville is going to build its new city office, court and police department building for millions of dollars less than originally estimated. The City Council approved a bid ' Tuesday night from Layton Construction Co. for the project, at $13.68 million ($11,171,600 for the office building and $2,515,600 for the fire station). City administrator Troy Fitzgerald said that the engineers' estimate for the construction project was close to $21 million, making the mayor, council and city officials all very happy with the bid. The council has also planned an additional $ 1.2 million to furnish the buildings and to allow for " change orders. , Completion of the fire station is set for Jan. 31 of next year, and the civic center building is set for July 31 of next year. Construction of the fire station will be on the northwest corner of the city park, 100 West and Center Street, with street access to Center Street. The civic center will be built on the old Maxum Building property south of the park. 100 South from Main Street to 100 West will be closed permanently to allow for parking and the new building. Five companies bid on the project. The bids ranged from the low bid to just over $15 million, which made the city confident that the bidding was realistic and in line. Fitzgerald also said that he and his staff want to closely watch the change orders on the project to keep costs in line. A century of service in Spanish Fork Fire dept. celebrates WOyears Janice Peterson fighters. "Pager goes off, we show up," said Fire Chief Brent Jarvis. Jarvis said the fire departSome of the equipment has ment has stuck to its roots over changed over the years, from the century, just adding better simple hose Carts to large trucks and ambulances, and from ringequipment. The volunteers are ing bells to individual pagers. But dedicated citizens who serve the one thing has remained constant community and save taxpayers millions of dollars for the work. over the years for the Spanish Fork Fire Department, which Spanish Fork Firefighters Association Historian Robert celebrates its 100th birthday this Davies said the department month they're all volunteers. The Spanish Fork Fire Departstarted in 1908 with only a hose ment is responsible for the largest cart and a very long hose. It had no motorized truck until 1920, area in Utah County, yet none of when the first fire engine was the 34 firefighters are paid employees. They all hold different purchased for $9,250. Davies said the department is like a family, jobs in the community, but when and the volunteers work well they are needed, they are fire DAILY . together. The first crew to go out fire is just the first four or HERALD five people who show up, so Davies said everyone is trained to in a Inside: 'American Idol' update drive the truck and man the Page C3 hose. Everyone has a part to play, which helps the organization stay successful. "I feel like it's because we all get along," he said. "It seems'ev-erybod- y knows their place." Marvin Banks is the superinten-dan- t for public utilities in Spanish e Fork, but he has also been a fire-Se- FIRE DEPT., C3 WIN To Get More, subscribe today! 1 1 -- 375-5 I -- 80 More "feet on the street" than any other local news organization means we get the stories that the others miss. Don't miss what is happening in your community. MORE REPORTERS. MORE NEWS. 03 |