Nick McWilliams Reporting –
The city of Dover is looking to better outfit their safety forces with a new ambulance.
Fire Chief Russ Volkert met with council during a Health and Safety Committee meeting Monday, explaining the need for the new unit.
According to Volkert, the specifications are nearly identical to the ones in place for a purchase agreement signed in mid-2022. He notes that they are aiming to purchase from Braun Ambulances again, based out of Van Wert, Ohio.
“They’re specified, so the inside of the vehicle is laid out as closely as possible from one to another. If one of our members steps into the back of an ambulance, everything is in the same place. Over the years, we’ve added so many services and so much equipment, the more common denominators you have, the easier it is to the operate. There’s less for people to have to deal with and remember.”
The new ambulance purchase would not be allowed to exceed $369,000. Volkert notes that the purchase agreement from two years ago was $40,000, which reflects how much of a price increase the implements have gone through recently.
In other Dover council news, Jodi Salvo and Kerry Metzger with Empower Tusc provided a presentation about recreational marijuana, which was legalized statewide with the passage of Issue 2.
However, municipalities were allowed to pass their own legislation to prevent distributors from moving into their area, which was the request from the group.
Similar legislation has been passed in other areas, such as New Philadelphia.
In other council news, various members of the legislative body, such as Mayor Shane Gunnoe and Auditor Nicole Stoldt, offered their condolences to the family of long-time community and political leader Doug Wills, who passed away unexpectedly over the weekend.
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