Mayor of Bruno, Dale Glessman, is serving time in the historic Bruno jail during the Jail and Bail fundraiser to restore the historic Bruno Fire Hall. He's not really that upset because his incarceration is generating money. (Submitted photo/Dale Glessman)
Serving time for a cause

Members of Bruno council putting in time for fire hall restoration

Aug 12, 2021 | 4:47 PM

Some good people are going behind bars for a good cause.

The Bruno Jail and Bail saw members of the Bruno town council spend some time in the old Bruno jail to raise money to restore the historical fire hall.

Mayor Dale Glessman and councilors Karen Tegenkamp and Michael Sorokoski are serving time with every $5 donation being made to either take 10 minutes off their time or put 10 minutes onto their time served.

So far, Glessman has brought in $710, Tegenkamp $540, and Sorokoski $730, with some still serving their time on Thursday evening.

Glessman said they have had plenty of company while they serve their sentence.

Along with the barbecue, Glessman said they have raised $2,795 to go towards restoring the only remaining historical building on Bruno’s Main Street.

The old fire hall building still features the original brickwork that was manufactured right outside the town at the Bruno Brickyard and Clayworks and a back wall has been damaged by tree growth next to the wall. Glessman said the trees have been removed to prevent further damage but it will take $20,000 to $25,000 to repair things. If it’s not done now, it will cost more later.

“It’s going to crumble and we won’t have anything really old that’s on Main Street.”

The fire hall was built between 1917-1918, Megan Deli, office assistant at the town office, told northeastNOW, and is still on the original lot with the bell tower still standing. The building was used until sometime in the 1950s, said Deli.

Glessman hopes the town can eventually use the building as a tourist attraction but that means maintaining the building now.

becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim

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