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Town to buy $1.1 million tanker, will share costs with volunteer companies
Summary
The board discussed purchasing a $1.1 million water tanker to be housed at Round Hill and contributing roughly 50% toward tankers for volunteer companies in Banksville and Round Hill; a volunteer tanker had failed inspection and is being repaired.
Board members discussed planned tanker purchases and the town’s support for volunteer fire companies. The Chair said the town plans to purchase a new tanker priced at $1,100,000 and house it at Round Hill for backcountry water support, and that the fiscal 26 budget contains funds to pay 50% toward a Banksville tanker and to share the cost of a Round Hill unit or a newer used replacement.
Leslie raised a compliance concern: a volunteer tanker failed Connecticut-mandated inspection and was brought in for repairs; she said the unit should be upgraded and expected to be back in service by about July 1.
"The thing was so rotted out that my guys wouldn't approve it," Jay said when explaining the inspection outcome of a volunteer tanker. He and staff discussed that town ownership of volunteer equipment typically means the town takes on maintenance responsibility and asked for clearer budgeting so those maintenance costs are visible in fleet projections.
A staff member clarified that the fiscal 26 budget includes funds to pay 50% of a Banksville tanker and had intended to pay 50% of a Round Hill tanker or a newer used replacement; Round Hill funding was not included in the fiscal 27 request. The Chair asked staff to review CIP sheets and produce clearer documentation about which purchases are included in which fiscal year and which budget lines.
The board did not vote on the purchase or funding contributions during this discussion; members asked for follow-up documentation and clearer CIP presentation.
