Lebanon committee weighs $1.02M pumper truck; decision deferred pending CFO and grant review

Lebanon Township Committee members spent more than an hour discussing financing options for a new Class A pumper requested by the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department and ultimately deferred a final decision pending review by the township CFO and further research on grant options.

Tom and other committee members outlined a range of financing scenarios: applying for FEMA apparatus or facilities grants, pursuing direct congressional funding, escrowing budgeted funds over multiple years, or leasing/lease‑to‑purchase arrangements. Committee members noted that FEMA grants can be reimbursement‑based and that timing and grant requirements can affect whether the township may commit to an order before award.

The fire company representative told the committee that grants for trucks are difficult to obtain, in part because of low call volume for some grant criteria, and cautioned the group on expectations. For the record, committee discussion included a specific vendor quote: “the price is quoted at $1,021,466.16,” identified as a base model 23P105 Enforcer Pumper 1023 with custom options. Members also flagged scheduling constraints: the manufacturer’s build lead time was estimated at about 44–48 months, and the department must consider apparatus certification expirations on older vehicles (the committee noted one apparatus loses certification by 2026).

Next steps: The committee charged members and staff to consult the new CFO about fund certification and budgeting options and asked assigned members to explore FEMA and other grant opportunities. The group agreed to revisit the request at the next meeting and to decide whether to place an order by the end of October if financing terms were resolved.

Provenance: The fire department request and financing discussion began when unfinished business was opened; the committee discussed funding models, grant mechanics and timing and did not take a binding vote.