Ashland moves ahead with purchase of Sudfin fire engine after on-duty damage to existing apparatus

The Ashland Board of City Commissioners on June 26 approved first reading for the purchase of a Sudfin heavy-stock fire engine and a related lease-purchase proposal after the department lost an engine in an accident earlier in May.

Fire personnel told the commission the damaged engine is being repaired and that without the purchased vehicle the department lacks a viable reserve apparatus. The vehicle on the agenda was a planned, budgeted purchase moved up in the schedule because of the loss of the engine.

"We sustained a, accident to our engine out in South Ashen. It is currently getting repaired," the Fire Chief said during the meeting. The chief added that leasing a replacement from third-party vendors had been considered but the costs were "outrageous," which contributed to the decision to move the scheduled purchase forward.

The purchase proposal accepts Sudfin Corporation's offer for a heavy-stock unit (unit 595) with a delivered price cited in the ordinance title as $999,274. The commission moved and seconded both the direct purchase and a lease-purchase agreement with Leasing 2, Inc. to finance the unit.

City staff clarified that a similar truck had been budgeted previously and that this item replaces that budgeted unit timing: one truck is being accelerated into the current cycle and the other deferred to a future budget. The city manager confirmed that financing and budgeting adjustments were discussed and that the administration will adjust the capital plan accordingly.

Commissioners voted "aye" on the first readings; final adoption and financing details were to be addressed in subsequent proceedings.