Chief Collins told council the Fire Department is planning an apparatus replacement program timed to manufacturing lead times and said the department's priority this cycle is replacing three engines.

"In this project here, we're gonna be replacing 3, fire engines," Chief Collins said, explaining the vehicles will be procured on a staggered schedule because build times can be two and a half to three years. He said committee work is underway to finalize specifications and that the department is comparing multiple manufacturers to avoid a single-vendor lock that can raise costs.

The chief also described the training center (the former recycling center) as aging and in need of roof replacement and other repairs. He told council the roof has water infiltration that is saturating insulation and affecting equipment inside the building, and staff plan to address the roof as a near-term capital need.

Why this matters: The engine replacements are high-cost fleet items (approaching $950,000 each) and the training center supports recurring recruit and in-service training. Chief Collins and council members discussed buying strategies, vendor competition and the difficulty of finding grant funding for large apparatus purchases.

Ending: Chief Collins said the department will continue to apply for grants and will coordinate procurement scheduling with the council to reduce fiscal impacts.