Lockport plans more security for its Friday night concerts
LOCKPORT — The Common Council has made an agreement for extra security after the Friday night concerts in Ulrich City Centre.
The deal calls for David L. Ulrich, owner of the venue for the Molson Canal Concert Series, to pay for two uniformed city police officers to be stationed outside the Main Street entrance from 10:30 p. m. to 2:30 a. m. each concert night.
Ulrich will pay $43.78 per hour for each officer, and is to send the city a check every two weeks, according to Wednesday’s agreement.
Mayor Michael W. Tucker said there was some trouble in the archway leading to Main Street after last week’s concert ended, and officers inside the courtyard had trouble getting through the crowd to quell it. Tucker also said the uniformed officers would prevent people from walking along Main Street while carrying beer.
“This is David wanting some extra security for people who have been drinking too long,” said Alderman Patrick W. Schrader, D-4th Ward.
Tonight’s concert crowd for a free show headlined by the popular Canadian band Our Lady Peace is expected to be one of the biggest ever.
Also Wednesday, the Council received notice that the only bid received for a new fire pumper truck was $617,935, from Churchville Fire Equipment Corp.
That same company was the only bidder last year; the Council asked for another round of bidding. Not only were there no other bids, but Churchville’s price rose by about $20,000.
It appeared the city will not buy the truck, at least not this year, even though it’s been urged by Fire Chief Thomas J. Passuite to do so to replace a run-down 1987 pumper.
“I don’t think we’re going to find $600,000 right now,” Council President John Lombardi III said.
Tucker agreed, but said at least the city knows what a truck would cost if it needs to buy one in an emergency. He held out the possibility that the purchase could be made when the economy improves.
“We’re going to apply to the state for a grant,” Schrader said.
Fire Board President Peter P. Robinson said he’d like the city to make the purchase.
“We hope the Council will see things our way,” Robinson said. “We have firefighters that are trained to be the best. They should have the best equipment.”
The decision came on the same night the Council honored three firefighters for their recent rescue of a girl from a burning house.
Also Wednesday, the Council received bids for recycling bins, but they’re not committed to buying those, either. Bids for a recycling service are due next Friday, as the city works toward full curbside recycling—if it decides to spend the money.
The apparent low bidder is Rehig Pacific Co. of Erie, Pa. For 18-gallon residential bins, it would charge $5.25 each for the first 4,000, with the price falling slightly if the city buys more. It also would charge $43.80 for a 95-gallon tote, regardless of the quantity.
“The desire of the [recycling] committee is to make recycling available to everybody, so we’d buy everybody a bin,” Tucker said. The 95-gallon totes would be for apartment houses.
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