One of two Manassas Park ambulances out of service, fire chief says

One of Manassas Park’s two ambulances has been out of service since May 17, Fire Chief Rick Grove told the City Council on Tuesday night.

With the ambulance — a Freight Liner 2000 — no longer working, the city is only using a single ambulance built in 1994.

“I can say it hasn’t caused a diminishing of service to the community,” Grove said after the meeting.

The ambulance was put out of service because paramedics were worried about “significant” vibrations felt in the ambulance when it reached 35 mph.

“This vibration has been a real pain for us because the 2000 unit is nicer than the ’94,” Grove said.

The city’s chief mechanic has had trouble figuring out the cause of the vibrations felt in the ambulance.

Also Tuesday night, the City Council scheduled a public hearing for July 30 to discuss whether the city should issue up to $7 million in bonds to fund an expansion of Manassas Park High School.

The high school, which opened in February 1999, was supposed to have enough room for the city’s students until 2006. But Manassas Park’s population growth has stripped expectations.

“In two years, we will be out of classroom space. And we need to expand the facility,” said Councilman Kevin Brendel.

A number of other important developments took place Tuesday night:

— The council picked Brendel to be the city’s new vice mayor;

— A concept document for a new $1.8 million fire station was approved, allowing the architectural firm Ballau, Justice, & Upton to draw up plans;

— City Manager David W. Reynal announced that William Weakley, the city’s public works director, plans to leave by the end of the month;

— and a City Council decision to hold off on picking a new planning commission means that the present members will sit on the commission a little while longer.

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