White County Commissioners approve joint purchase of ladder fire truck with Monticello and Union Township

White County commissioners voted to proceed with a joint purchase of a ladder fire truck under an interlocal agreement with Union Township and the city of Monticello.

Commissioner 2 moved to proceed with the purchase and the motion was seconded; the motion passed by voice vote. The county will participate financially with the other taxing units under an interlocal arrangement and will later bring the funding appropriation before the county council if required.

A presenter identified in the meeting as the fire department representative said the truck should arrive in July or August and quoted a purchase price of "almost 1,900,000.0," adding it "should last us around 20 years." Commissioners discussed keeping the current ladder truck for backup and housing arrangements discussed with local departments.

Commissioners indicated the county contribution would likely be taken from an economic development reserve fund. A county official said some economic development payments — described during the meeting as a portion of solar project payments — flow into that reserve and that council would need to appropriate funds formally.

The board did not finalize exact funding amounts in the meeting; commissioners said the county would confirm the appropriation after council action and that the interlocal agreement documents would be signed by the appropriate commissioner after review.

The motion to proceed was recorded as approved by voice vote; no roll-call tally was given in the transcript.