Nowthen council approves setting up roughly $500,000 bond to fund new fire apparatus after debate

The Nowthen City Council voted July 14 to include roughly $500,000 in a bond issue to fund a new rescue/pumper-style fire apparatus, after Fire Chief Miller outlined operational limits of the city’s existing vehicle and urged replacement.

Chief Miller told the council that Nowthen split from Ramsey’s combined fire service in 2021 and now operates with a smaller rolling inventory. He said the city’s geography—long driveways and limited hydranted water—means firefighters often must use a ‘‘rural hitch’’ tactic: position an attack engine at a structure and run supply lines back to tankers or larger pumpers. ‘‘That presents a challenge to us,’’ Miller said, arguing the department needs a vehicle that is smaller and more nimble than a conventional engine but still carries pump capacity and equipment. He recommended a new unit with a maximum budget of $500,000 and said used vehicles that meet Nowthen’s needs are rare.

Council members pressed for details on maintenance, condition reports and how long the city’s current rescue might remain serviceable. Miller said maintenance is performed by a private contractor and that a previous inspection likely exists but is not on hand. He also described the water-supply challenge: the city will have two tankers on delivery that together hold roughly 4,000 gallons, but large structure fires can require continuous high-volume pumping; Miller said an ISO-rated pump (750–1,000 gallons per minute) is the missing piece to sustain an attack line in many incidents.

The financial case for bonding drew a range of views. A councilor who reviewed financing noted the city’s favorable bond rating would produce a projected interest cost near 3.25 percent and estimated the average homeowner’s share at roughly $33 per year of the debt service; other councilors urged caution, saying the effect on homeowners’ insurance from any ISO rating change is difficult to predict. The council also discussed lead times for custom apparatus—staff said a new engine typically requires 14–18 months from order to delivery.

Council members stressed that a new truck would not by itself resolve Nowthen’s firefighting gaps. ‘‘We will never operate without mutual aid,’’ Miller said, but he argued the proposed vehicle would reduce operational risk by improving maneuverability and on-scene pump capacity. Several councilors urged that procurement be coordinated with staffing, training and water‑supply work the chief has proposed.

Council member Rainbow moved—and another member seconded—to include approximately $500,000 in the city’s bond issue to fund the apparatus. The motion passed; councilors clarified that issuing the bond establishes available funding and the city still must return with a specific vehicle specification, a purchase order and final approval before placement of an order. The council also noted that if the city issues debt, state rules require purchase/payment within three years.

Council directed the chief and staff to finalize specifications and bring back a purchase recommendation for the council to approve before a purchase order is issued. The council did not commit to immediate physical delivery; members said they expected the city to coordinate the apparatus purchase with planned recruitment, training and water-supply projects so the equipment is effective when it arrives.