Budget committee presses for multiyear CIP to spread rising fire and ambulance costs

At a recent meeting of the Greenland Budget Committee, members agreed to begin a multiyear capital improvement plan focused first on fire apparatus and emergency vehicles, aiming to give the select board and budget committee longer-term visibility on replacement timing and costs.

Committee members spent the bulk of the session reviewing each major piece of fire and EMS equipment on the town’s list, including a 2003 utility pickup, a 2007 Smeal pumper, a Mack tanker, a 2013 ambulance now kept in reserve, and a 2022 ambulance purchased with federal recovery funds. The committee discussed useful life estimates, refurbishment options and funding approaches, and asked staff for missing details on mileage, recent refurbishment costs and quotes.

“The CIP by state law is only 6 to 10 years. That’s all we need to do, but let’s create visibility beyond there,” a committee presenter said, urging the group to show equipment needs out 10–20 years so the town can make informed choices and avoid simultaneous large purchases.

Why it matters: Committee members warned that several major replacements cluster in the same multi‑year window. Without a planned schedule and a predictable revenue strategy — grants, ambulance billing revenue directed to reserves, or consistent yearly funding to a capital reserve fund — the town could face large…