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Finance committee reviews 2026 capital priorities, flags fire pumper and ambulance replacements
Summary
Committee reviewed the draft 2026 capital budget, discussed major projects (Graham Ditch funded by Columbia Gas, two water-tower repairs, Dussel corridor lighting), and heard a detailed presentation on replacing a 22-year-old fire pumper (estimated $1.3M) and an ambulance (roughly $350,000) with long lead times.
The Maumee City Council finance committee spent significant time Feb. 25 reviewing the draft 2026 capital budget and hearing staff and department presentations on the largest line items.
Plans staff said the Graham Ditch enclosure project (near Arrowhead and Longbow) is being funded by Columbia Gas, which has already provided deposits toward the project. Water‑system capital needs include interior and exterior painting and repairs for the Dussel and Illinois water towers; staff noted EPA requirements and water-user-fee funding.
Chief Loboshevsky told the committee the department’s primary fire pumper has exceeded the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommended service life (about 20 years) and is now 22 years old. The chief said the truck experienced recent failures and extended out-of-service time in 2025; staff estimated a replacement pumper at roughly $1.3 million with build lead times of 18–24 months or longer for custom units. The department recommended a “stock” or lightly customized unit to shorten delivery time, with options to finance, put a down payment or seek combined debt issuance to gain better bond terms.
On EMS apparatus, staff said a 2015 ambulance has exceeded the recommended 10-year lifespan and would likely cost about $350,000 to replace (equipment like power‑load cot systems could add an estimated $70,000). Committee discussion covered financing options, timing, resale value of older units and possible equipment swaps between apparatus.
Other capital items discussed included a $640,000 Dussel corridor street-lighting project funded from the street-lighting fund and police vehicle replacement plans (moving away from leases toward purchases and a four-year rotation). Staff warned that the city’s A fund operating projections show expenditures outpacing revenues and that the estimated A fund ending balance is “not sustainable,” prompting committee members to consider prioritizing operating/debt obligations before capital spending.
