PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS … Council member Mary Leatherman makes a motion to approve the meeting minutes of November 17 at the Bryan City Council Meeting on Monday, December 1, in council chambers.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Bryan City Council met in regular session on Monday, December 1 in council chambers with discussion concerning the purchase of a cardiac monitor.
Council members present were Mary Leatherman, Jim Kozumplik, Stephen Alspaugh, John Betts, and Richard Hupe.
Following roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited and minutes from the November 17 council meeting were approved.
Mayor Carrie Schlade told council a budget committee meeting was held with the request for $30,000 to $60,000 for the Bryan Fire Department for the purchase of a cardiac monitor.
“We are running transports and some EMT things for the county. That’s a mutual agreement that we have all been working through for the last six months,” said the mayor.
“At the next meeting we’ll see some tweaks to that MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) and that’s working really, really well. Both groups are collaborating well for the benefit of our citizens.”
One thing in which Schlade pointed out, which is lacking, is an ambulance that would really be effective and helpful for everyone is a cardiac monitor.
Schlade added that a new cardiac monitor would cost between $30,000 and $60,000, but the city was able to find a refurbished one from Stryker with a one-year warranty.
“We had thought I would talk to the county commissioners, and they are working on a MOU that would actually with this agreement would go to the wayside,” said the mayor. “They would take over the ambulance and the process where they would buy the heart monitor back.”
The mayor said there will be no action taken for the heart monitor purchase until the next council meeting on December 15. She added that there is enough money in the budget for the purchase.
Clerk-treasurer John Lehner said there is already $35,000 in the 2026 budget for the purchase. Council member Stephen Alspaugh questioned about getting good value for a heart monitor.
“We have the need that is clearly there,” said Alspaugh. “Are we getting a good value for an extended period of time. You’re telling me a brand new one is going to cost between $40,000 and $60,000, and we’ll get five to ten years out of it.
“For a refurbished one, this looks to be a deal that $21,000 versus what we had anticipated at $35,000.”
Schlade stressed the importance of the cardiac monitor. “The important thing with the heart monitor is if we transport them all of that (monitoring tape) it produces can be given right to the emergency room and then they know about the five or ten-minute history with that patient and they don’t have to guess. For a cardiac patient it’s going to be essential.”
The potential purchase of the heart monitor will be put into a budget line item at the next meeting in which the council will decide.
“What we want to do is we want to make a good investment,” said Alspaugh. “We all basically believe that cardiac monitor support is necessary. We can make the best investment for the taxpayers.”
In other action, council appointed Marc Fishel as Bryan City Attorney effective January 1, 2026, at a rate of $225 per hour.
Approval was given for the transfer of funds for the month ending December 31, 2025, and an emergency ordinance was approved for annual appropriations for the City of Bryan for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025,
Council then went into executive session to act upon a couple of personnel matters.
-Patrolman Matt Sammons submitted his resignation from the Bryan Police Department. He also served as handler for Tyson who is a K9 officer.
Due to Tyson’s age, council voted unanimously to retire K9 Tyson and allowed Sammons to purchase him for $1.00. Council appreciated Sammons and K9 Tyson’s service to the Bryan community.
-Discussed adding another full-time dispatcher for the fire and police department. Council unanimously passed a motion allowing Police Chief Greg Ruskey to conduct a Civil Service test for the position of full-time Fire/Police Dispatcher.