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Daniels County weighs options — loans, grants and fundraising to replace aging fire trucks
Summary
County commissioners and the fire chief discussed a plan to replace aging fire apparatus, weighing purchase and retrofit options, potential intercap loans (with county cosign), grant prospects, down-payment logistics and a proposal to seed a reserve to buy trucks on a 5–7 year rotation.
Daniels County received a detailed presentation Sept. 15 from William, identified in the meeting as the county's fire chief, laying out the condition of the volunteer department's fleet and options to replace or refurbish aging trucks.
The chief said the newest county-owned fire vehicle dates to 1997 and recounted difficulty getting that truck to run reliably; he offered price ranges from $30,000 for some used chassis to more than $200,000 for new, fully equipped apparatus. Commissioners and volunteers discussed options including buying a used chassis and locally mounting a bed/tank and pump, purchasing a DNRC (state) bed/chassis arrangement (which can carry usage restrictions), or seeking a used but serviceable unit for immediate needs.
Funding options explored included volunteer fundraising (donation and banquet proceeds), grant applications (recent applications had been turned down), bank or intercap loans (which may require county cosign), and staging replacement on a rolling schedule (for example, pursuing smaller trucks every 5 years rather than one large purchase). Commissioners and staff agreed to allow department leaders to begin actively searching for suitable trucks and to use a department down-payment (discussed at about 10% of the vehicle price) to hold a vehicle while the county finalizes loan paperwork. Staff member Christy described how the county would set up principal and interest accounts for any loan so payments are visible and dedicated in the budget.
Commissioners recommended the department set a target purchase price and timeline and return with a VIN and price to allow an expedited decision and, if necessary, a small county-funded down payment to reserve a vehicle. The board encouraged a plan that would seed a reserve account (a designated carryover/940-style fund) to smooth future replacements.
No formal commitment of a loan was made during the meeting; commissioners asked staff to explore loan rates and to speak with local lenders and DNRC about options while the department continues to search for trucks to present with VINs and firm prices for prompt decision-making.
