Fountain City approves $624,000 purchase of used fire engine, amends FY2026 budget

The Fountain City Council voted on June 9 to authorize purchase of a used Pierce fire engine for $624,000 and to amend the FY2026 budget to include funds to outfit the vehicle, Chief Graham told the council.

Chief Graham said firefighters inspected the engine at a broker near Minneapolis and that the department expects to spend an additional $200,000–$250,000 to equip the truck with the tools and gear required for front-line service. "We're in the process of getting bids and formal quotes on all the equipment that we're going to need," he said, and the department requested the council authorize the equipment budget from Public Safety Impact Fee revenue.

Graham framed the purchase as a cost-saving measure: he estimated a comparable new engine would cost between $1.2 million and $1.5 million before equipment. The engine is intended to support the department’s expansion tied to the new Fire Station 4; crew and assignment planning may place the used engine at Station 1 with a newer truck routed to Station 4, Graham said.

Council member Geek moved to approve Resolution 26-030; Council member Rick seconded the motion. The clerk reported five affirmative votes and the motion carried.

Actions and funding: The resolution authorizes purchase of the used Pierce engine for $624,000 and an equipment budget in the approximate $200,000–$250,000 range (the council asked staff to allow for roughly $250,000 in authorizations while bids are finalized). Chief Graham said the intended funding source is the public-safety impact-fee fund, a fee collected on new residential and commercial development to support public-safety infrastructure.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are listed in the accompanying speakers whitelist; vote tallies and motion language reflect the June 9 transcript.