Fire chief flags apparatus lease, PPE and roof repairs in 2025 budget

Fire Chief Robert Perko outlined the Fire Department’s capital, equipment and operational requests for 2025, stressing a mix of recurring replacement needs and one‑time facility repairs.

Perko said the department planned to continue the ladder truck lease in 2025 at an estimated $159,000. He requested funding for structural firefighting gear (coats, pants, helmets, hoods, gloves and boots) budgeted at about $25,000, noting cost pressures would likely reduce the number of full sets purchased next year. Perko said rescue task force (RTF) ballistic helmets and vests require replacement on a five‑year schedule; he estimated $10,000 to replace remaining units if grant funds were not awarded.

The department will transition to consolidated record‑management software and anticipated overlap costs in 2025 as four older systems are maintained while the new system goes live; Perko estimated an additional $10,000 for that overlap year. He also described increasing costs to maintain stretchers, lifts and cardiac monitors and estimated roughly $20,000 for technology maintenance next year.

On facilities, Perko reported substantial roof patching over the past decade and a significant leak during an August storm. He provided two quotes near $45,000 and suggested a $50,000 placeholder to replace the roof and address window repairs. Councilmembers asked him to audit some payroll/pension numbers that appeared inflated; Perko said some figures were typos or artifacts from a cloud migration and that finance would review them ahead of the next meeting.

Perko said 11 members will be eligible for retirement in the coming year but that he had no confirmed retirements at present. He also confirmed ongoing training and tactical commitments that may affect overtime and tuition costs. The Committee did not take a vote; Weiss said questions and corrected line items would be addressed at a Dec. 11 follow‑up meeting.