The council will meet in executive session to consider purchase of land in the downtown area for the station, which was approved as part of a $14 million May bond election.
According to the city attorney’s office, the city narrowed a list of sites down to one and terms of an agreement for the purchase should be finalized by the meeting.
In 2007 and 2008, funding of $600,000 was set aside for a space needs assessment, fire master plan update, preliminary design and land acquisition for the new central station.
The city is also expected to authorize a $696,000 contract with Wiginton, Hooker and Jeffry, P.C., for design of the new station.
In other business, related to the recently completed budget process, the council is expected to increase water and wastewater rates.
According to the city, the increases will help continue its long-term capital improvement program to replace or rehabilitate the city’s distribution and collection system.
Minimum water bills for a three-quarter inch line (which includes 2,000 gallons) will go from $9.50 to $10. The increase is based on the meter size. The volume increase is from $3.10 to $3.20 per 1,000 beyond the first 2,000 gallons.
The minimum wastewater rates will go from $9.50 to $10. Beyond the first 2,000 gallons, user fees will go from $4.15 to $4.25 for each 1,000 gallons.
The average residential combined bill will show an increase of about 3.64 percent, according to city figures.
The city will likely raise residential garbage collection rates by $1.25 per month and commercial rates by 6 percent.
The residential increase will raise an additional $264,200 in additional income. The 6 percent, commercial increase will raise an additional $151,700, according to city figures.
