Anna anticipates delivery of new fire truck this week
<p class="p1">An update on the arrival of a new fire truck and lengthy discussion about proposed regulations governing the display of signs highlighted discussion at last week's regular meeting of the Anna City Council.</p><p class="p1">The meeting was Tuesday evening, Dec. 1, at Anna City Hall.</p><p class="p1"><strong>New Fire Truck</strong></p><p class="p1">Representatives of the Anna Fire Department traveled to Appleton, Wisconsin, last week, to conduct a final inspection of the new truck.</p><p class="p1">Those who made the journey to Wisconsin included Anna Fire Chief Gary Rider, assistant chief Bill Jackson and training officer Scott Bennett.</p><p class="p1">The department will be acquiring a new ladder, pumper and tank truck. The truck was manufactured by Pierce Manufacturing Inc.</p><p class="p1">The new vehicle will replace a unit which dates to the early 1970s.</p><p class="p1">The new truck is slated to arrive in Anna this Friday evening.</p><p class="p1">The cost of the new fire truck is $850,000. The City of Anna received $798,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to help pay for the new fire truck. The grant was awarded in 2014. The city is providing matching funds to cover the remainder of the costs.</p><p class="p1">The city is planning to host a press conference and open house to showcase the new fire truck. The press conference and open house tentatively are planned for Jan. 12.</p><p class="p1">The fire truck which is being replaced has been taken out of service by the fire department.</p><p class="p1">The fate of the old truck was addressed at last week's city council meeting.</p><p class="p1">City administrator Steve Guined told the council that the fire department had proposed donating the old truck to a firefighters training academy at Rend Lake College at Ina.</p><p class="p1">Donating the truck to the academy is seen as a way to allow the vehicle to be used in a way which would benefit firefighters and their training.</p><p class="p1">Council members voiced support for making the donation.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Sign Guidelines</strong></p><p class="p1">In other business at the Dec. 1 meeting, there was lengthy discussion about a proposed amendment to the city's existing sign ordinance.</p><p class="p1">The issue surfaced recently as a result of concerns which were raised by an Anna businessman regarding the placement of off-premises signs.</p><p class="p1">Council members and others present at the meeting reviewed a proposal presented by the city administrator which calls for the establishment of three sign zones in Anna. The areas would be similar to those outlined in the city's zoning ordinance for residential and business districts.</p><p class="p1">The proposed amendment calls for the designation of S-1, S-2 and S-3 zones in Anna.</p><p class="p1">The S-1 zone would be mainly in the Main Street area. The S-2 zone would be in an area which includes South Main Street from Jefferson to West Spring streets and West Vienna from North Green to Casey streets. The S-3 zone would entail remaining areas throughout the city.</p><p class="p1">The proposed amendment would govern such issues as the size of a sign, lighting and placement. Signs could only be placed in business zones. </p><p class="p1">Work continues on the proposed amendment. Further discussion is planned regarding the grandfathering of signs which already are in place, fees related to the proposal and an application form. </p><p class="p1">City officials are hoping to be able to act to approve the proposal in January 2016.</p>