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Ammon council tables request to repurpose $20,000 from apparatus sale for wildland gear
Summary
Bonneville County Fire District Chief Jon Molbert asked the city to repurpose $20,000 from an apparatus sale to buy wildland PPE; citing budget concerns and policy limits, the council tabled the request to the next worksession.
Fire Chief Jon Molbert asked the Ammon City Council on May 7 to repurpose $20,000 the city received from the sale of a surplus apparatus toward new wildland personal protective equipment (PPE), saying much of the department's gear is old and the area faces a likely challenging fire season.
Chief Molbert described some PPE as roughly 25 years old and argued the funds would help ensure crews have up-to-date gear. "This equipment allows us to provide better service," he said.
Council President Scott Wessel questioned whether the city should allocate the $20,000 given Ammon's budget constraints and noted the standing agreement that the fire district replace worn gear. City Administrator Micah Austin explained the $20,000 originated from a purchase by North Fremont Fire Department and that the city previously budgeted a contingency for fire service if needed.
After discussion about regional service area size (Chief Molbert described the district as roughly 322 square miles) and budget priorities, Council Member Sid Hamberlin moved and Council Member Heidi Boyle seconded a motion to table the request to the next worksession. The motion carried on a roll-call vote (Wheeler, yes; Oswald, yes; Wessel, yes; Boyle, yes; Fullmer, absent; Hamberlin, yes).
Next steps: The council will revisit the request at a future worksession to consider whether and how the proceeds may be repurposed.
