BATH — The City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the purchase of a new public works street sweeper and adopted the fire code used by the state.

The council also presented retiring Bath Police Officer Mike Lever with a proclamation and city chair in honor of his 43 years of service with the city.

The 2017 vacuum/flusher truck, which the city is purchasing from HP Fairfield of Scarborough, replaces a 1990 vehicle. It will clean catch basins, manholes, storm drains and sewers.

The nearly $350,000 price tag is being offset by the trade-in value of $2,500 for an older vehicle, and with an extended five-year warranty of $5,765 added in, the net purchase comes to about $353,000, Public Works Director Lee Leiner explained in an April 24 memo to the council.

Funding comes from a $9.8 million wastewater improvement bond, which voters approved in 2015.

Fire codes

Councilors last month granted first passage to the adoption of new and revised fire codes. They granted second passage Wednesday.

The National Fire Protection Association wrote both codes, which have been adopted at the state level. Bath has been using the 1985 edition of NFPA 101, “The Life Safety Code,” and intends to adopt the 2009 edition, which the state is using, for the sake of consistency, city Codes Enforcement Officer Scott Davis explained in a March 27 memo to the City Council.

The code “specifies fire safety requirements such as building construction type, number of exits, sprinkler systems, fire alarms, travel distances, fire rating of interior finishes,” according to Davis.

The city also adopted NFPA 1, “The Fire Code.” Davis said it is “relatively new,” noting that while it contains fire safety requirements by referencing NFPA 101, it also contains operational safety requirements for matters such as fuel dispensing, cutting and welding, marinas, storage, dust and explosion hazards, and commercial cooking equipment.

The state has adopted that the 2009 version of that code, along with amendments.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.

Bath City Council Chairwoman Mari Eosco on Wednesday presented retiring Bath Police Officer Mike Lever with a proclamation and city chair in honor of his 43 years on the job.