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Owosso council approves donation agreement for 1921 fire truck to firefighter memorial
Summary
The Owosso City Council approved a donation agreement Nov. 4 to transfer a 1921 fire truck to the Shiawassee County Firefighter Memorial; council members noted ongoing maintenance costs estimated at about $20,000.
The Owosso City Council voted Nov. 4 to approve a donation agreement transferring a 1921-era fire truck to the independent Shiawassee County Firefighter Memorial.
Assistant city staff described the truck as a historical piece intended for display and education, and said the vehicle has recurring maintenance needs. One council speaker noted the truck would be “a nice thing for children to tour” and for fire safety demonstrations, while staff estimated the work to keep the truck running would cost roughly $20,000.
“We just wanted to drive it in a grade. It's about a $20,000 fix, almost continually to keep it running,” a staff speaker said during the discussion.
A motion to approve the donation agreement was made and carried by roll call. The minutes record seven affirmative votes and no recorded no or abstentions; the council approved the transfer. Council members discussed using the truck as a museum piece and the potential for programming such as fire safety classes for school groups.
The council’s action completes a final administrative step after the Shiawassee County Firefighter Memorial was spun off as a separate charity in a prior meeting. The agreement transfers responsibility for the historic vehicle from the city's books to the memorial organization. The council did not allocate city funds to repair the truck at the Nov. 4 meeting; staff noted the repair needs as part of the record.
