Bryan council approves $140,000 boost for pumper, $60,000 for wastewater hauling

The Bryan City Council on March 17 approved an ordinance amending the city’s fiscal-year appropriations to cover a $140,000 shortfall on a planned pumper/rescue vehicle and to add $60,000 for increased wastewater hauling costs.

City staff told the council that the fire department had budgeted $900,000 for a new pumper/rescue vehicle but that the vehicle identified for purchase is priced at $1,040,700 — about $140,700 more than budgeted. John, a city staff member who presented the ordinance, said the money would be transferred from the fire department fund into the fire vehicle fund so the department could place the order. “The fire department fund … has a little less than $2,000,000 in the balance,” John said during the discussion, and the added appropriation would not exhaust reserves.

The same appropriation ordinance also included a $60,000 increase in operating…