Village of Waukesha approves F‑350 purchase after fire chief switches to gas engine to avoid short‑run diesel issues

The Village of Waukesha board on March 26, 2026 approved a revised F‑350 package for the fire department, voting to purchase the upfitted vehicle for $89,879.65 after the fire chief recommended changing the chassis from diesel to gas.

At the meeting the fire chief said the switch was made because "with the short runs that they do, it'll eventually likely have issues with clogging up injectors and things on the engine," arguing a gas engine would be more reliable for short, stop‑and‑go local duty. He also said the change reduced the package by about $6,700 compared with a previously discussed option.

Trustees asked whether the chassis was being purchased under a state bid and whether municipal pricing was appropriate. Staff said municipal pricing and dealer quotes were considered; add‑on accessories and upfitting are often not part of state bid pricing and can vary by dealer. The chief explained that some small adjustments made while the item was pulled from the agenda had increased the upfit price by about $400 after reviewing the scope in person: "we re‑looked at all the original ... and it came about $400 more," he said.

Resident Sandy Homel expressed unease with the truck packet, noting the supplier's footer stating prices and availability "are subject to change and should be treated as estimates only," and said she could not make sense of the nearly 20 pages of detail.

The trustees moved to approve the purchase as presented in the packet for $89,879.65; the motion was seconded and carried. The board did not record a detailed roll‑call tally in the transcript but announced the motion "carries."

Votes at a glance: Purchase of F‑350 package for the fire department — $89,879.65 (approved).

The board continued to bill approvals and adjourned later in the meeting.