Marietta City Council on Thursday authorized a total appropriation of $591,360 from the capital improvement fund to purchase two 25-foot motor boats for the city police and fire departments.
Council also ratified applications by both departments for grant funding through the 2009 federal Port Security Grant Program that will reimburse the city for its expenditures.
The boats will be custom-built by North River Boats, Inc. of Roseburg, Oregon.
"The manufacturer said these boats could be delivered within 180 days of the order, and they must be paid for by Sept. 30 of this year," said Councilman Steve Thomas, D-3rd Ward, who chairs the police and fire committee.
He noted each boat will have a two-year warranty on the hull and a three-year warranty on the motor.
The police department boat will cost $193,853 and the fire department vessel will cost $397,507.
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Marietta City Council's next regular session is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 19 in the community building at Lookout Park. All council meetings, except executive sessions, are open to the public.
"We're appropriating the money out of the capital improvement fund in order to pay for the boats up front, as required to qualify for the grant. But that money will be reimbursed when we present our paid receipt to the granting agency," explained Councilman Tom Vukovic, D-4th Ward, and finance committee chairman.
The port security grant funding was awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Administration to the Huntington Port-Tristate, which is the largest inland port in the U.S.
By accepting the grant funds, Marietta's police and fire departments also agree to be part of the port security force in the event of natural or other disasters within the port area on the Ohio River between Huntington and Marietta.
In other business, council members authorized the first quarter transfer of a total $237,314 from five city accounts into the general fund.
"The general fund position at the end of March was only $488,000, so we're moving monies from other funds that are needed to support the general fund," Vukovic said.
He noted that council had passed legislation last year allowing for a quarterly cost allocation from city accounts to help keep the general fund solvent.
"If we continue to move these monies each quarter, by the end of the year we'll have moved $949,256," Vukovic said.
The monies transferred included $50,125 from the sanitary sewer fund; $108,348 from the streets maintenance and repair fund; $15,589 from the capital improvement fund; $8,996 from the fire levy fund; and $54,256 from the water revenue fund.
