Will the proposed training burn be safe and will it use more water than the city can afford?
These were the two main concerns at the July 5 meeting of the Belleville City Council.
After lengthy discussion, the council put off making a decision on the training burn until the next regular meeting on July 18, after more information could be gathered.
But, on July 12, Davenport Brothers Construction took matters into their own hands and decided to just tear down the old Amerman Lumber office building themselves and haul it away.
No burn necessary.
Steve Davenport said since the city had some concerns, they decided just to tear it down.
At the July 5 meeting, Mayor Pro-Tem Rick Dawson, who lives across E. Columbia Avenue from the former Amerman Lumber property, said he had concerns, so he talked to his neighbors.
He had lived through the training burn of the Amerman homestead a few years ago and it turned into a dangerous proposition. He noted that the Amerman office building, which was the one now under consideration, is not nearly as large as the house burned in the first session.
Dawson said Ralph Mayer owns a Victorian home he is trying to sell located next to the Amerman property.
He said that John Hoops’ haybarn at the Belleville Mill is even closer.
Mike Loria, a fire fighter who lives across from Amerman’s, is the “closest to the burn,” Dawson said.
Dawson said all of the neighbors support training of fire fighters.
Dawson said he went into a burning structure in the past when fire fighters wanted to show him what it was like. He was in protective fire gear, but “I know what a pig feels like. It was 1,200 degrees – an oven.
“I know what they go through,” he said.
“But, we can’t let happen what happened with the first burn,” Dawson stated.
Belleville Fire Chief Lee Grant said the first Amerman burn was under the direction of another fire chief, referring to Darwin Loyer who now is full-time fire chief in Van Buren Township.
Chief Grant said while the road wasn’t closed during the first burn, it will be closed for this one. The hydrant in front of Dawson’s home, which is in a different loop, will be accessed for increased water supply.
Grant said there will be a complete “water curtain” between the burn and the houses. He needs 25 fire fighters to operate the burn, which means he is inviting VBT and Sumpter departments. He said Sumpter’s chief will be on medical, but another fire fighter has been assigned his duties.
Dawson said he recalled that “200 of his closest friends” gathered on his front lawn to see the first burn and he had his garden hose ready in case he needed it. It got so hot, everyone moved down the street to watch and Dawson abandoned his hose.
“I talked to Mike and he had some ideas,” Dawson said of Fireman Loria, his neighbor.
Chief Grant said for the previous chief it was either “my way or the highway,” but Grant said he seeks input from everybody. He already has talked to Loria about the plans, he said.
Grant said the building was donated by Davenport Brothers to the fire department for training and Davenports said they would pay for all permits. Davenports at first considered moving the building, but that plan has been scrapped, Grant said.
Dawson voiced concern about the cost of the water, since the city’s water bill “is horrendous.”
Grant said they could meter all the water except the safety line, which must have a free flow.
“We won’t do it unless the safety line is unencumbered,” he said, noting two fire fighters will be on the safety line which is for emergencies.
Grant said they hoped to burn the building on the second week of August on their regular training day.
He said first the site has to be inspected by a safety inspector. Grant explained how Western Wayne Mutual Aid works and this safety inspection will be free. Grant also does safety inspections for other departments.
Dawson said he believes the process is “light it, put it out, and do that several
times.” He said when it is unsafe to enter, they light it for a final time and let it burn.
Councilman Jim Shrove said the water to be used is a big deal and asked if Davenports would pay for the water.
“I don’t think they want to pay for the water,” Mayor Richard Smith said.
Resident Mike Renaud asked about the water curtain.
Dawson replied that at the last burn, ash landed in somebody’s lap as he was riding by in a Jeep convertible. It was one of the lawsuits that resulted from that burn.
Grant said they had a ladder truck providing the curtain at that burn, but then the truck was called out on a medical run.
Dawson said that fire also melted the siding on the house next door to his, singed his bushes and trees, and damaged the utility lines so that tie wraps fell down from above.
Renaud asked if the wind was heavy would they cancel the burn and Grant said they would if it was 20 mph or more.
Dawson said he got reports that there was debris in several swimming pools on the other end of town at the last burn.
“They should never be allowed to drive by,” Grant said of the plan to shut the street down.
“If they’re not willing to pay for the water, it’s a no [vote] for me,” Councilman Shrove said.
Joanne Howell, co-owner of the antique shop, asked if they couldn’t use a tanker truck and get water from the lake and Grant said Superior Township is the closest department with a tanker.
Dawson reminded them that the city has a water loss of 25% and has to be careful.
Someone figured the water could cost some $200 to $300 for the training and Prentiss Howell called that “a bargain.”
DPW Chief Keith Boc said he didn’t know if metered water would work for the training, since the meter coupling takes the connection down to 2”, which is good for farmers and pools, but not for fire fighting.
He said before a decision is made he’d like Grant to look at the meters to see if they can be altered to allow more flow.
Boc and Grant were asked to calculate how much water it might take to do the training burn. When there is a fire now, the water is used without keeping track of how much.
Grant said the city can bill the insurance company for fire fighting and he has done that in a few cases.
Mayor Smith, retired from a career in insurance, said most insurance companies have a flat fee of $1,000 for a fire department service charge, which is “better than nothing” but doesn’t cover the cost of fighting a fire.
Grant said it costs $1,000 for his truck to leave the fire hall.
“What if you get toned out during the fire?” asked Councilwoman Kim Tindall.
Grant said Western Wayne fire departments will give back up, but if they are at a beginning stage in the training where they can leave, they will.
“We will not leave the city unprotected,” Grant promised.
Mayor Smith said city officials have to talk to Davenport on the water issue.
“If Davenport won’t pay, we will pay,” Tindall said.
“Davenport should pay for it, even if it’s just a partial payment,” Shrove added.
Grant said it costs $200 per person to send his fire fighters to a training burn. He has 14 in his department.
Some calculations will be put together to discuss at the next meeting.
Grant emphasized that if the fire couldn’t be done safely, it “wouldn’t happen.”
In other business at the July 5 meeting, the council:
• Adopted a resolution, also approved by the Downtown Development Authority, to dedicate the new Gateway Sign to the late Chesley Odom, who created the original design. The sign that is being erected, however, is slightly different than the original design. The dedication ceremony is expected to take place at the Belleville Bridge Walk/Taste of Belleville on Aug. 18;
• Discussed a letter from a resident complaining that there has been no parking allowed on West Columbia Ave. during the citywide yard sales over the years and the person said parking is needed. Shrove said last year there were two accidents on West Columbia during the sale. When it was determined the street belonged to the county and the city would have to hold the county harmless if allowing parking, the subject was dropped; and
• Approved a few language changes to the GELC (Governmental Employees Labor Council) tentative union agreement approved at a special meeting on June 27. Under “permanent full-time employees” the word “current” needed to be added in case there were furloughs down the road, and under “stipends”, it was added that the new stipends would start July 1 with no retroactivity, plus other minor changes.