Trustees approve $69,201 in emergency and equipment requisitions including new drones and ladder truck repair

At the Jan. 14 meeting the West Chester Township trustees approved three requisitions for public-safety and public-works equipment and repairs totaling $69,201.42.

Administrator Burks presented the three items. Item 4 authorized a retroactive purchase order to Clark Power Services for $20,496.42 to repair the transmission on vehicle 610, one of two front-line ladder trucks; the quoted repair was $18,633.11 plus a 10% contingency. Item 5 approved a $33,705 purchase from Cloud City Drones LLC for drones, related equipment and software (a joint purchase to be shared with the fire department). The purchase includes a large overwatch drone, two tactical drones (Mavic 3-style platforms with thermal imaging) and a small "rat" drone for interior reconnaissance. Item 6 authorized $15,000 to Blust Motor Service Inc. to repair the engine on a 2001 International salt truck after piston sleeve failure during a January snow response.

Trustees discussed the drone program in detail: participants described an intended five-year equipment lifecycle with staggered replacement, training and mutual aid arrangements with nearby agencies, and tactical and thermal-imaging capabilities to support police and fire operations. Trustees asked how pilots will be certified; staff said certification courses take roughly three to six weeks of self-study followed by written testing at Butler County Airport and ongoing local joint training with neighboring agencies.

By roll call, trustees approved the three requisitions. The board recorded follow-up comments that the damaged ladder truck repair was treated as an emergency because the vehicle was already disassembled for diagnosis.