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Lipscomb County to front up to $300,000 for Higgins VFD pumper truck pending state grant
Summary
Lipscomb County Commissioners approved interim financing not to exceed $300,000 to purchase a pumper truck for the Higgins Volunteer Fire Department. The department will reimburse the county when it receives funds from a Texas A&M Forest Service grant.
Lipscomb County Commissioners on Jan. 12 approved interim financing of up to $300,000 to allow the Higgins Volunteer Fire Department to purchase a pumper truck, with repayment required after the department receives grant funds.
The decision followed a presentation by Jason Watson of the Higgins VFD, who described an award from the Texas A&M Forest Service that will fund the truck. The court voted unanimously to authorize the county to front the purchase pending final grant and financing arrangements (motion by Commissioner Scotty Schilling; second by Commissioner Juan Cantu).
County Attorney Matt Bartosiewicz and Treasurer Kimberly Long were present for the discussion; the minutes record that the Higgins VFD will repay Lipscomb County upon receipt of the Forest Service grant. The motion placed a not-to-exceed cap of $300,000 on interim financing and included the condition that final financing terms be resolved before county funds are spent.
Supporters said the purchase would bolster rural firefighting capacity for Higgins and surrounding areas; no alternate financing was approved at the meeting. The court did not specify which county fund would be used for the interim payment beyond the motion language in the minutes.
The county will await the final grant paperwork and any financing details before disbursing funds. The court's action preserves the county's reimbursement claim once the Higgins VFD receives the state grant.
