Bonifay City Council approves purchase requests, discusses cemetery committee

The Bonifay City Council convened for its regular session on Monday, September 15, addressing a few new business items.

Council members approved a motion to designate Friday, October 31, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. as the official time for trick-or-treating for Halloween 2025. 

Additionally, the council made a motion to approve two purchase requests for Bonifay Fire and Rescue, including a request for the installation of a mobile communications set up, totaling $2,425. This will consist of a radio system that will be installed in the new pumper apparatus. The equipment for this was already approved previously and funded, this request is just for the cost of installation. This system will integrate into existing communication systems so firefighters will not have to use a handheld radio to communicate.

The second request was a $2,500 investment to convert Utility 1’s current battery system to lithium batteries. Utility 1 is a multipurpose utility task vehicle used approximately 15 times a year for tasks including search and rescue operations, navigating wooded areas, and participating in parade routes. Sierra Smith, the city’s Executive Administrator, noted that switching to lithium batteries is more cost-effective over time due to their extended lifespan and reduced need for replacement.

Smith also announced a grant award notice from the Division of State Fire Marshal as a part of the Florida Firefighter Assistance Grant Program. The total amount awarded was $161,070 for the purchase of 15 new Air-Pak Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA) along with 30 new air bottles. This will allow Bonifay Fire and Rescue to replace their current Air-Paks and have two extras. The council made a motion to accept this funding, with Smith noting that this grant makes a total of $651,643 that the fire department has secured in grant funding to assist in public safety measures. 

In other business, Mayor Larry Cook announced that all members of the Bonifay Cemetery Committee have resigned. Cook attributed the mass resignation to stress stemming from ongoing concerns related to the committee’s 2022 cemetery ordinance banning benches in the cemetery. 

While the council did not announce immediate plans for replacing the committee, Mayor Cook stated he would work with the city’s attorney to find out the correct process for appointing new committee members.