LISBON

The Lisbon Fire Department is hoping a grant will help it get some much needed equipment.

At its meeting Tuesday night, the Lisbon Town Council approved the department to apply for a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Grant. The sandwich shop chain has a public safety foundation that helps provide equipment, training and support to fire departments.

Lisbon’s fire department would use funds from the grant to purchase swift water rescue equipment. Due to shortfalls in the previous budget, the department had to cut the equipment from the budget. The potential grant would pay 100 percent of the $11,372 cost of the equipment.

To apply for the grant, the department must submit its application by March 1. The grants are awarded quarterly, and the town would know if the fire department was awarded the grant for equipment before a budget was finalized.

Dingley issue

The council also voted to continue efforts to secure the workforce of Dingley Press, the longtime catalog printing company located in Lisbon. The town entered a Tax Increment Financing agreement in 1993, and the 25-year agreement was set to end in March before the council moved forward with a five-year extension.

The TIF agreement is used to designate future property tax revenue increases to economic development projects. Dingley Press is Lisbon’s largest employer, and requested the town extend the agreement for another five years.

The company is spending $20.7 million to install a new printing press and make other necessary manufacturing improvements. It will allow Dingley to keep up with the competition and ensure the jobs of its 347 employees.

chris@timesrecord.com