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Marion approves financing for new fire engine and ambulance; names interim fire chief
Summary
The council unanimously approved a loan resolution to finance a new fire engine (meeting remarks referenced both ~$1.03M and $1.018M figures) and acknowledged a $350,000 ambulance purchase; following a closed session on personnel the council appointed Deputy Chief Keesling as interim chief.
Marion Town Council voted unanimously on April 6 to approve a loan resolution enabling the purchase of a new fire engine and to finalize financing arrangements.
During the meeting Chief Ham said the town received a new ambulance and that a new fire engine had been completed. He described the fire engine as "a little over a million dollars, a million 30,000," and later in the meeting a packet figure was read as $1,018,000; the record therefore contains inconsistent readouts of the purchase amount. The meeting did record the ambulance cost at $350,000.
The town manager explained that roughly $400,000 from the fire truck fund would be applied to lower the financed amount and that the town would finance the balance (described in the discussion as about $600,000) at a USDA prime rate; the manager said the annual payment was expected to be about $65,000 and that early payoff would be allowed. Council members voted to approve the financing resolution unanimously.
Later the council entered closed session to discuss a personnel matter related to the fire‑chief hiring process and legal consultation. After returning to open session the council moved, seconded and unanimously appointed Deputy Chief Keesling as interim Chief of Fire and EMS.
Council members said they will use reserved fire truck funds to make loan payments until the loan is paid off and emphasized the town’s commitment to maintaining emergency equipment and training.
