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Simpson County declares emergency to shop for replacement fire truck, sets $125,000 shopping limit
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Summary
The fiscal court declared an emergency Aug. 1 to procure a replacement fire truck, citing lead times and county coverage needs, and authorized staff to shop for a replacement with a budget cap of $125,000; Chief Leslie Goodrum said the county will still order a tanker this year despite expected delivery delays.
Simpson County Fiscal Court on Aug. 1 declared an emergency to procure a replacement fire truck and authorized staff to shop for a vehicle with a dollar limit not to exceed $125,000.
The emergency declaration was based on a letter of recommendation from Franklin‑Simpson Fire Rescue Chief Leslie Goodrum outlining lead times for fire apparatus, the county’s 555 road miles over 236 square miles, and the operational risk if apparatus are unavailable during multiple‑call incidents. The motion to declare an emergency and set a $125,000 shopping limit passed unanimously (motion by Marty Chandler; second by Scott Poston; vote Yes‑All).
Chief Goodrum told the court the department still plans to order a new tanker this year but acknowledged deliveries may take years; the emergency declaration is a separate, interim step to ensure coverage while waiting for replacement apparatus.
The court’s authorization allows staff to survey available apparatus and pursue procurement under the emergency procurement rules cited in the motion. No final purchase was authorized at the Aug. 1 meeting; the motion established a dollar cap to guide the immediate shopping process.
Next steps: staff will obtain options within the authorized limit and return recommendations to the fiscal court. The meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.