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White County budget panel approves $3,711.86 reimbursement to Doyle Fire Department for pump repair
Summary
White County Budget Committee approved a one-time appropriation of $3,711.86 to reimburse the City of Doyle Fire Department for a pump repair after hearing the department’s explanation that the engine was needed for countywide responses.
White County Budget Committee voted to appropriate $3,711.86 to reimburse the City of Doyle Fire Department for a pump repair, the committee chair announced after an amended motion passed.
Chief Jason Sparks of the Doyle Fire Department told the committee the department had two separate repairs “totaling a little or right at $5,000,” and that one repair — the pump repair — left the department asking for reimbursement. “We’re gonna do what’s best for the person that needs help,” Sparks said, describing the department’s countywide response area and explaining that the engine had to be repaired promptly to keep coverage.
Committee members had previously tabled the request to get additional information. Sparks told members the department’s response area covers most of its 14.59 square miles outside the Doyle city limits and that roughly 78% of responses occur outside city limits, with about 9% being mutual aid calls into neighboring counties. He said the pump’s mechanical seal was a wear item and that the department’s mechanic estimated replacement intervals at five to six years; the pump in question was about seven-and-a-half years old.
Finance staff and committee members discussed whether to reimburse 75% of the pump repair only or 75% of the total repairs submitted. The committee initially considered a motion for 75% of the pump repair then amended the motion to cover 75% of the total project. The committee chair then called the vote; after the amendment passed, the committee voted on the amended motion to appropriate $3,711.86 and the motion carried.
Committee members also discussed training, noting the department provides in-house pump and driving training and sometimes breaks larger certification courses across multiple nights. Sparks said his department has previously broken longer classes into weeknight and weekend sessions and is working on a course “that falls in between an intro to pumps class and a PDO class” to be more volunteer-friendly.
The reimbursement appropriation was recorded as a committee action; no roll-call tally of individual yes/no votes was provided in the transcript.
The committee moved on to other agenda items after the vote.
