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Fire chief presents 10‑year Co‑Op levy plan for ambulances, station projects; no funding vote
Summary
Fire Chief Jason Francis presented a 10‑year capital and replacement plan for the Fire Department Co‑Op levy fund, projecting $625,000 annual levy revenue and a $1,183,508 beginning balance; he recommended two Braun ambulances (about $353,000 each) and remounting as a cost‑saving option, but sought only acknowledgement, not approval of purchases.
Fire Chief Jason Francis outlined a 10‑year capital plan for the Fire Department’s Co‑Op levy fund during the Committee of the Whole meeting Jan. 13, projecting steady levy revenue of about $625,000 per year and a beginning balance of $1,183,508 as of January 2026.
Francis said call volume and engine idle hours have increased, creating demand for three medic units to maintain continuous coverage and contracted service areas. He recounted that the department ran 155 calls in 2025 in which crews were simultaneously on two calls, with instances of three concurrent calls. To maintain fleet readiness, Francis recommended ordering a Braun ambulance in February 2026 for early 2027 delivery and a second Braun for early 2028. He described Braun as a one‑year build option at an approximate cost of $353,000 and noted remounting an ambulance is typically about two‑thirds the cost of a brand‑new unit. Francis emphasized the remount option offers a lifetime structural warranty and a box without wood components.
Chief Francis also listed additional capital and facility priorities included in the plan: plumbing repairs, roof replacement, ventilators for patient care, a chief vehicle, a kitchen remodel (with staff pursuing grants), parking‑lot updates, extrication tools, HVAC replacement, relocation of the Plymovent exhaust system, storage racks and interior painting. He described the plan as informational — not a request for immediate funding — and asked Council to review and acknowledge the long‑term strategy so requests for specific purchases can be brought forward as conditions warrant.
Council members asked about timing and continuity of coverage during a remount; Lieutenant Miller and Chief Francis said remounts can take about two to eight months and that scheduling can be arranged to maintain three‑unit coverage during the work. Council did not take any purchase votes during the meeting; Francis said specific spending requests will be brought to Council for approval as they arise.
