City approves grant requests

In an extremely short meeting Tuesday night, the Green River City Council approved several grant requests to fund several needs within the city’s fire department, as well as transportation and swimming lessons for programs hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department.

The fire department’s requests are for a new pumper/tender truck, 40 sets of turnout gear and funding to provide training. The three grant requests will be made to the 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant and, if all three requests are fully funded, will provide the department with $885,000 in funding for its requests, with the city being required to match $43,000 for the three grants. The math and potential value to the city impressed some Council members.

“That’s a heck of a deal,” Mayor Pete Rust said.

According to Green River Fire Chief Mike Nomis, the pumper/tender truck would replace two fire trucks that are nearing the end of their life cycles, purchased in 1991 and 1996 respectively, saying the trucks have seen better days.

“We need to find something with the water supply for the different areas (in and around the city,)” Nomis said.

With the city’s parks department, the city seeks funding from the Sweetwater County School District No. 2 Rec. Board, which would provide funding for an additional session of swim lessons at the Green River High School Aquatics Center and cover transportation costs for the city’s summer day camp.

The two requests total $15,369.44 in funding. According to Parks and Recreation Director Brad Raney, both requests were approved by the school district’s recreation board when submitted last year.

“I think it’s really, really, good we’re working with the school district and the school district is working with us,” Councilman Gary Killpack said. “It’s good for the community.”