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Council committee balks at $2.2 million ladder truck as part of five‑year capital plan
Summary
City staff presented a five‑year capital improvement plan that includes a $2.2 million ladder truck for the fire department; committee members and Finance Director Hunter said the city cannot afford the purchase now and recommended postponing rather than removing the item.
At a June 16 committee meeting reported to the council June 23, committee members reviewed the administration’s five‑year capital improvement plan and pushed back on a $2.2 million ladder truck proposed for the fire department.
Finance Director Hunter told the committee the plan is an early draft and the administration will revisit it in August; she said the city could not afford the ladder truck at this time and that proposed state legislation to reduce property tax millage could lower city revenue by “at least $1,000,000” if passed. Several council members, including Councilman Hartstein, said they opposed purchasing the ladder truck now and recommended postponing the purchase.
Fire Chief Grossman said the department will continue to use the current ladder truck “as long as possible” and that if a new vehicle is needed later, the likely next major vehicle purchase would be a squad or engine. Committee members discussed regionalizing fire equipment with neighboring cities and noted existing mutual‑aid arrangements.
The committee asked the administration to break the capital plan down by department and by year and to return with a revised draft. No final purchase decision was made at the June 23 council meeting; the ladder truck item remains under committee review.
