All three candidates who received significant support from a conservative national political action committee came up short in their bids to win seats on the Ba
photo by: File photo
The Baldwin City Council wants to hear from the Baldwin City Recreation Commission before considering approving a bond referendum asking city voters to approve a sales tax to convert the old gym at Eigthth and Chapel streets into a community center.
A citizens advisory group wants Baldwin City to hold a referendum on a half-cent sales tax that would allow for renovations to a historic gymnasium, but several Baldwin City Council members have some questions first about the timing of the proposal and what the building should be used for.
On Jan. 19, the council got an update from the advisory group, which was appointed last year to brainstorm uses for the 1940s-era gymnasium at the corner of Eighth and Chapel streets. The group was also tasked with researching ways to fund the extensive work that the building would need.
The Baldwin City Council has approved an unexpected request to buy a new firetruck after some discussion about how the $584,657 purchase would fit into the city’s budget.
Although the purchase was eventually approved 5-0 at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting, members had questions about the timing of the request. Council members Julie Constantinescu and Scott Lauridsen both asked why the request for such an expensive item was made at the end of the year instead of during the 2021 budget discussions that took place over the summer.
Baldwin City Fire Chief Terry Baker told them that the fire department had been looking to replace one of its trucks, which was purchased in 1993 and had multiple maintenance issues. Baker said the department had been in talks with two manufacturers of firetrucks, Rosenbauer America and Pierce Manufacturing, during the last year in anticipation of bringing a request to the City Council in 2021. He said the department had worked with Rosenbauer to fit a tr