Council weighs replacement of aging fire engine, approves ambulance purchase

Council approved procurement of a replacement ambulance and engaged in a lengthy discussion about replacing the city’s primary fire engine, which staff described as mechanically unreliable and increasingly costly to maintain.

The ambulance purchase was presented as supported by the ambulance fund; staff said the fund has the dollars on hand and payment would be due at delivery. Council moved and approved the purchase by voice vote.

Fire Chief Mack briefed the council on the engine’s condition, detailing mechanical failures: "the differential is leaking, pump transmission is leaking," and the vehicle’s age (late 1980s) has created parts-availability and reliability problems. Chief Mack said the long lead times for new apparatus (about 32–35 months) and rapidly rising industry prices argue for starting a procurement and financing plan now.

Council discussed funding options including Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) with competitive awards and a federal maximum vehicle award, bonding or lease financing, and internal reserves. Staff said one funding scenario would involve bonding around $1.4 million spread over 20 years and noted any borrowing would affect levy projections. Council supported forming a truck task force or workshop with department staff, the chief and council members to refine specifications and financing and to pursue grant opportunities.

Why it matters: the primary engine’s reliability affects emergency response capacity, and the replacement or extended repairs would require multi-hundred-thousand- to million-dollar financing decisions with long lead times.

Next steps: staff and the fire department will assemble a task force and a workshop to develop recommendations on specifications, grant applications, and financing for the engine. Council postponed a separate equipment service test agreement to February to coordinate procurement planning.