Council approves fire engine and kitchen remodel contracts, declares surplus equipment, backs Bird City Maryland and funds folk festival (first reading)

Salisbury — The Salisbury City Council on March [date not specified] awarded two contracts for the Fire Department, declared certain fire equipment surplus, approved a resolution supporting the Bird City Maryland initiative and approved a first reading of a budget amendment to fund the Maryland Folk Festival.

The council voted by voice on each item during a regular legislative session. Procurement staff presented the bids and the council approved each motion with no recorded roll-call votes; the chair recorded the adoption of each motion as aye.

The largest award approved is ITB25-118 for a new pumper fire engine. City procurement staff presented the purchase as a cooperative contract through the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) cooperative program (contract FS12-23). The contract award to Atlantic Emergency Solutions covers a fire engine priced at $1,283,886. According to the packet, funding for the purchase was appropriated in the FY2025 City of Salisbury budget (Schedule B), and the HGAC contract runs through Nov. 30, 2027.

The council also approved ITB25-116 for a kitchen remodel at Salisbury Fire Department Station 1. Procurement staff recommended awarding that contract to Wayland for $145,080; the packet lists the account to be charged for that work.

Council members declared defibrillators, radios and radio accessories from the Salisbury Fire Department surplus and authorized disposal through public auction. The motion specified that items not saleable would be abandoned, destroyed, scrapped or otherwise disposed of.

On non-procurement business, the council approved Resolution No. 3384, a nonbinding expression of support for the Bird City Maryland initiative. The council then approved Ordinance No. 2,928 on first reading, a budget amendment to appropriate funds for the 2024 and 2025 Maryland Folk Festivals; the ordinance will return for any required subsequent readings.

Each action was presented, motioned and approved by voice. The official record shows the chair casting the concluding aye on each item; no roll-call tallies were read into the record.

Votes at a glance

- ITB25-118: Award pumper engine to Atlantic Emergency Solutions; contract price $1,283,886; funding: FY2025 budget (Schedule B); procurement via HGAC cooperative contract FS12-23. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- ITB25-116: Award Station 1 kitchen remodel to Wayland; contract price $145,080; account listed in council packet. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Surplus declaration: Defibrillators, radios and radio accessories from Salisbury Fire Department. Disposal method: public auction; if not saleable, abandoned/destroyed/scrapped. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Resolution No. 3384: Support for Bird City Maryland. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Ordinance No. 2,928: Budget amendment to appropriate funds for the 2024 and 2025 Maryland Folk Festivals (first reading). Outcome: approved on first reading by voice vote.

Context and next steps

Procurement staff said the HGAC cooperative contract was used to obtain the fire engine price and cited the Salisbury Charter exception that allows use of other governmental procurement results. The ordinance for the folk festival passed first reading; any final appropriation or implementation steps will follow required legislative procedures. The surplus declaration instructs staff to proceed with the disposal process as described in the motion.

The council adjourned the legislative session and voted to convene a closed session to discuss an election-board vacancy and personnel matters authorized under state law.