Jonesboro committee forwards $177,769.44 fire-equipment budget amendment to full council

The City of Jonesboro Public Safety Council Committee voted to forward Resolution 26,016 to the full City Council. The resolution would amend the FY2026 Jonesboro Fire Department fixed-asset budget by $177,769.44 to purchase specified rescue and safety equipment, including thermal imagers, cameras, intake valves, battery-operated extrication combination tools and mounting equipment. Chair (S1) read the resolution in full and asked for a motion to forward it to council; a motion and second were recorded and the chair declared the item passed.

During committee discussion a member asked whether the listed items were replacements or new equipment. Chief Hamrick (S3) replied that the purchases are upgrades: "Yes, sir. We'll be upgrading many of these. The... ones we currently have are way outdated. ...We're running gas powered units currently that are 15 to 20 years old. These are all battery operated much more efficient and faster." He also identified thermal imagers (MaxFire Seekers and FirePro 300 cameras) and battery-operated extrication tools as the primary upgrades.

Resolution 26,016 names Mayor Harold Copenhaver and City Clerk April Leggett as authorized to execute purchase documents in accordance with city purchasing guidelines. The resolution allows fire department administration to proceed with purchases and allocates the stated amount to the department's fixed-asset budget; the committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript, but the chair declared the motion passed and forwarded the item to full council for final action.