By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp-It’s what township residents and officials did not hear at 1 p.m., May 1 that concerned the board of trustees on Monday night.
After a failure of the Hegel Road emergency siren during the May 1 test period the board of trustees voted 5-0 to pay West Shore Services $650 for the first year of maintenance, and then $425 annually for each year after that to perform preventative maintenance on the equipment.
The siren, which is used for tornadoes and civil defense, is tested during the year. The fee will include automatic battery replacement.
Lloyd Fayling, director of Genesee County 9-1-1 system who triggers the siren, said due to age and weather regular maintenance is necessary.
‘Due to the cost factor many communities do not keep the siren in proper working order,? said Fayling. ‘While some fire departments do work on the sirens, they are really not equipped to do so.?