Laurens City Council OKs lease-purchase for new fire truck, appoints interim city attorney

Laurens City Council voted to authorize a lease-purchase agreement for a new fire truck and approved an interim appointment for the city attorney during its January 2026 meeting at City Hall.

The council approved Resolution 26-1-1 authorizing the city to enter a lease-purchase agreement in an amount not to exceed $900,000 to complete payment for a Pierce pumper procured under a requisition signed in September 2023; the motion passed with six ayes and one abstention. The council also approved Resolution 26-1-2 appointing Thomas J. Thompson as interim city attorney; council members indicated assent by voice vote.

The action on the truck reflects a timeline of procurement that began in 2023, when a purchase order was signed for a unit priced at $822,426. Officials told the council that several change orders and production delays raised the total cost to roughly $893,000 and that the truck has since been manufactured. Because payment is due on delivery, staff recommended arranging financing now to avoid penalties or forfeiture.

"We desperately need a fire truck," the presiding official said in presenting the resolution, noting that the contract was executed under a prior administrator and that lease-purchase financing had previously been used for the city's trash trucks to avoid affecting bonding capacity. The fire chief described the delivery process, inspection and financing timeline: a final inspection at the factory in Florida, a brief window to resolve defects before shipment, and an expectation that funds would need to be secured by mid-March to avoid interest or storage charges. "If we find something wrong with it, we put blue tape on this truck," the chief said, describing quality checks done before a unit leaves the factory.

Several council members pressed for clearer communication and closer budget planning. One member said she had not been aware of the most recent schedule and urged better notice on high-dollar items; another said the city had discussed ordering the truck in 2023 but that financing details were not finalized until now. The presiding official acknowledged concerns about procurement steps and said conversations with the former administrator and the bond attorney indicated that lease-purchase was the lawful mechanism available without bond paperwork.

A separate procedural dispute occurred earlier in the meeting over who should prepare official minutes for a Dec. 31 special meeting. Councillor Alicia Sullivan presented minutes she had prepared; other members and the presiding official said the city clerk normally produces the official record and that Sullivan’s draft omitted specific rulings and points of order. Sullivan withdrew her motion to adopt those minutes and, with no additional motion, approval of the Dec. 31 minutes died for lack of a motion.

On the attorney appointment, Ms. Campbell urged that the council adopt Municipal Association guidance for the city attorney's duties, publish compensation ranges in keeping with public-record rules, and treat an initial appointment as interim while the city solicits other candidates. The presiding official said Mr. Thompson had suggested periodic renewal terms; council approved the appointment with terms to be finalized and recorded in the engagement paperwork.

The meeting concluded after council handled remaining business and the presiding official adjourned the session. Staff and council members said they will finalize financing terms for the truck, work with the appointed attorney on contract details, and schedule a special workshop to review budget and operational expectations.

Next steps: secure financing or lease terms for the fire truck before delivery and return to council with formal contract terms for the city attorney engagement and any additional procurement disclosures.