HOISINGTON — At Monday’s regular meeting, the Hoisington City Council approved bids from two companies to replace the No. 8 engine at the city’s power plant.

Following discussion, the council approved bids from Industrial Diesel Service Inc. (IDS) and Mid State Diesel.

IDS will provide the engine and installation at $938,453, which includes a used 900 RPM, EMD Model engine and a Kato double-bearing brushless type generator. Other items include automated controls and a plate and frame jacket water heat exchanger.

Mid States will be billing on a time and materials basis and will be responsible for modifications to the control board including running electrical work between the panel and the engine. Other services provided by Mid States include upgrading the generator metering and communications system and hooking up auxiliaries such as fuel, water and oil pumps,

In other business, the council received city operations updates from City Manager Jonathan Mitchell including a pay incentive for weekend emergency medical staff.

“The City of Hoisington realizes the need to maintain adequate staffing for their emergency medical services,” Mitchell said. “The city would like to give technicians an opportunity to be paid additional compensation for committing to serve Barton County residents by agreeing to provide weekend coverage.”

Adequate weekend emergency staffing has been an issue for the city.

State law mandates all ambulance services providing emergency care (as defined by the rules and regulations adopted by the Kansas Board of EMS) will offer emergency service 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Look for more information on the recent pay incentive in a follow-up feature in Sunday’s Great Bend Tribune.