Lighting compromise reached; truck bid approved
Selectmen approved this week a local bid for replacing the Farmington Fire Rescue's Squad I chassis. The truck carries a portable water tank for woods fires and extrication tools for accidents.
FARMINGTON - They'll be purple lights then pink lights to illuminate Meetinghouse Park's gazebo next month.
Since October is both Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, representatives of both causes asked selectmen to string colored lights on the gazebo in the same month.
The gazebo in Meetinghouse Park will be strung with purple lights then pink lights next month.
Lorinda Payton of Safe Voices asked to put up purple lights and hold a vigil 6 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the gazebo.
"Our vision is to illuminate the park using purple string lights, the symbol color of domestic violence, and hang a banner stating that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month," Payton said in a letter of request to selectmen.
Last year, resident Iris Morgan began her campaign to remind people about the importance of breast cancer prevention, noting that in the last six months of this year, 20 people have been diagnosed with breast cancer at Franklin Memorial Hospital where she works.
She also wrote selectmen asking for permission to "once again drape the Meetinghouse Park gazebo in pink lights for the month of October." Her planned official lighting is at dusk on Saturday, Oct. 6.
"Last year we had a tremendous response to the lights," Morgan said and added, "I'd like to do my part to remind everyone."
"We are asking to put up lights as well," Payton said.
"We have one gazebo and both of you are hoping for lights. I'm open to suggestions," said Steve Bunker, the selectmen board's chairman.
Selectman Dennis Pike jokingly offered, "Any chance we could do half pink, half purple? How about every other shrub be pink and the rest purple?"
In the end, both women agreed to have purple lights on from Oct. 1 for the vigil through to Oct. 5. Then at Morgan's official lighting to be held Oct. 6 and on, pink lights will prevail through October.
In other matters, selectmen approved a local bid towards replacing the Farmington Fire Rescue's elderly Squad I truck.
Farmington Ford was awarded the bid by coming in at $46,144.84 for a 2013 Ford 550, four-wheel drive crew cab chassis. Five bids were received and although Quirk Ford of Augusta came in lower at $45,338.84, selectmen, in keeping with the town's policy, went with the local bid because it met all the department's specifications and is within 5 percent of the lowest bid offered.
The truck carries a portable water tank and pump and extrication tools and is especially useful in responding to wood and grass fires and traffic accidents, said Fire Chief Terry Bell.
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Way to hold them Morgan. Safe Voices has several other location doing the purple lights/vigil (Rumford, Dixfield, Lewiston, etc) and in the past has had businesses doing the lights in the windows so maybe they can once again ask businesses to help them out while Morgan can have her pink lights which often goes unnoticed until she started doing this awareness. BTW: There is a gazebo in Wilton so maybe someone can use that park.
Not so long ago, (est. 4-5 wks., if that) I was driving on old route 2 in East Wilton and was passed by three cruisers speeding with their revolving lights on. As I proceeded past the old Backus garage I could see numerous emergency vehicles ahead with more warning lights than I'd ever seen at an accident, lined up on BOTH sides of the road. I was blinded by the illumination of all the strobe and LED flashing lights. I had a very hard time seeing if the flagger was trying to STOP or MOTION ME ON in the dark because of the glare of that many flashing lights. The State Police was even there. I stopped and told the trooper that it was impossible for oncoming traffic to see with all those emergency lights going off. He just told me to proceed with extreme caution. As I reached the accident, I could see a car had gone off the road and into the field but it was still upright. I had my windows rolled down and proceeded at a snail's pace. As I reached the end of the line of emergency vehicles there was a fireman in the road who had a radio in his hand saying, "yeah, no one was hurt, there was nobody in the vehicle".
As I continued on down the road there were an ambulance, rescue unit, and then another fire truck coming..WHY ? Don't they listen and use radio communications or did they all want to meet somewhere to show off their new equipment ?? Total waste of taxpayer's money that night !! Why do we need a Ford 550, four-wheel drive crew cab truck ? That's a big truck and it's time to stop squandering the taxpayers money and fix and continue to use
what they have.
Farmington police and fire departs get everything they want. I can go without my meds so I can pay my taxes.. just saying...
It is very nice to hear from"Tired Taxpayers", sorry, we are all tax payers. The problem most people have with taxes is that they don't see and immediate results in paying. When you need emergency responders your reply is usually " why didn't you get here sooner" or" I had to wait for you". Ask yourself "what do I expect from emergency reponders when I call for them"? Being prepared is a responsibility of each of us and emergency responders want to be able to assist you with the necessary equipment to meet your needs. When was the last time you visited or took time to ask responders questions about their operations? Thanks for your response and trust you'll try to be more informed in the future. the Deacon
Hey Deacon, don't count on me becoming more informed. There are a lot of things we all would like to have, but there is a huge difference between WANTS and NEEDS. Time to suck it up and stop thinking taxpayers should pay for every little thing that might come in handy some day. there are a lot of towns that have a lot less. If you want something you don't have bad enough, then maybe you should go split wood, paint houses, or do other chores to "earn it"...FYI, I've never called for an emergency responder in my life and pay my own way. AND we don't ALL pay taxes. Just ask Romney !! Have a wonderful day..