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Committee backs amendment to ambulance revolving fund to cover fire apparatus, citing soaring vehicle costs
Summary
Budget committee recommended a warrant article to amend the ambulance replacement revolving fund to include motorized firefighting apparatus and to deposit up to the first $500,000 of ambulance patient proceeds into the fund, after the fire chief described rapidly rising vehicle prices and the desire to avoid financing charges.
The Budget Committee voted to recommend Article 17, which would amend the town’s ambulance replacement revolving fund so it can be used to replace both ambulances and motorized firefighting apparatus and direct up to the first $500,000 of ambulance patient proceeds into the fund each year.
Fire department leadership presented the case to the committee, citing a steep increase in vehicle manufacturing and purchase costs over recent years. The fire chief told the committee that where earlier replacement plans projected trucks in the $500,000–$600,000 range, current prices now approach $800,000–$1,000,000. He said the revolving fund model had allowed the town to replace two ambulances since 2014 without bonding and that expanding the fund consistently would help avoid long‑term interest costs on financed vehicles.
Committee members debated the tradeoffs — removing ambulance income from the general operating budget reduces a revenue stream used for day‑to‑day costs but avoids interest costs that come with borrowing. After discussion the committee recommended the warrant article to voters (7–0).
If approved at town meeting, the select board would administer the revolving fund per the existing ordinance language; the chief indicated the fund approach would provide a predictable, long‑term replacement path for vehicles and apparatus.
