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Woodbridge approves 10-year lease for fire ladder truck; chief outlines multimillion-dollar capital needs
Summary
The joint Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen approved a 10-year lease for a new fire ladder truck from M&T Bank and heard Fire Chief Sean Rowland present capital requests totaling several million dollars and a $1.32 million operating request for FY2027.
The Town of Woodbridge’s finance and selectmen boards approved a 10-year lease for a new fire department ladder truck and heard Fire Chief Sean Rowland lay out a series of capital and operating budget requests for FY2027.
At the Jan. 29 joint meeting, Beth Heller moved to approve the ladder-truck lease quote from M&T Bank; Scott Prud’homme seconded the motion. The minutes record a 10-year lease at a 4.112% interest rate with a listed payment of $235,560 and a total in the minutes of $2,355,600. The recorded vote lists Aye: Donavon Lofters, Beth Heller, Scott Prud’homme and Tom Handler; Nay: none. The motion was recorded by the Board of Finance as passed.
Chief Rowland presented the fire department’s capital requests, including: HVAC replacement, $600,000; Engine 9 lease payments, $685,824; replacement air packs, $44,140; three vehicle replacements (two Chevrolet Suburbans at $75,000 each and a 1996 Ford F350 at $90,000); radio communications upgrade, $224,584; AED adult/pediatric defibrillation pads, $19,368; fire hydrant preparation and painting, $84,000; replacement of UPS units at radio sites, $930,029; and replacement of Engine 2, $780,000. Rowland also presented an operating budget request of $1,320,619, recorded in the minutes as a 0.89% increase over FY2026.
The minutes do not report extended debate or public comment on the ladder-truck lease or the chief’s budget requests. No amendments to the capital list are recorded in the minutes.
Next steps: the presented capital and operating requests will proceed through the town budgeting process as recorded in the meeting minutes; no additional directives or final appropriations appear in the record for Jan. 29.
