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Gates County official says county's share of new fire vehicle would be about $28,000
Summary
An agency official told the board that replacing an initial-attack fire truck and related equipment would cost about $80,000'$85,000, with the county responsible for approximately 35 percent (about $28,000). The packet also flags higher standby pay, radio replacement line items and building renovation needs; the budget will go to the state for final approval.
An agency official for Gates County told the board that replacing an initial-attack fire truck and related equipment would cost about $80,000 to $85,000, with the county's 35 percent share equal to roughly $28,000.
The official presented line-item increases in the county's forestry/initial-attack packet and said they planned to 'piecemeal' renovations and purchases where possible rather than request a large one-time budget jump. The packet also lists building renovation estimates (the official said a full renovation was around $78,000) and a FY26 renovation projection of about $26,000 that has not been added to the proposed budget.
The presentation focused first on vehicle costs. The packet shows $64,000 for the vehicle itself plus an additional $20,000 to $25,000 for associated equipment, yielding a total near $80,000'$85,000. "So it's a total of around 80 to 85,000," the official said when summarizing the vehicle estimate. The official added that the county's portion is the 35 percent share rather than the full amount.
The board and the official discussed how state/county cost-sharing and billing work. A committee member asked, "So is it always a 65, 35 split with the state?" The official responded that a 65/35 split is the standard for the county because of its tax base and that the board's approval finalizes the county side of the packet before it goes to the state for the state's portion of approval and monthly billing. The official described the item as "approval for billing" rather than a separate procurement authorization.
The official also pointed to rising personnel and operating costs. "The state pays us $2 an hour," the official said when explaining standby/call-pay changes, and added that a state review altered the covered call window, which increased what the county must acknowledge in its budget. The official said social security, overtime and retirement line items have crept up and flagged higher in-state lodging and meal costs tied to training travel.
Other line items called out in the packet include diesel fuel and parts price increases, a new radio line item (listed at $3,500) to cover a dual-band unit and accessories, and routine salvage practices that reuse parts from retired vehicles to reduce new purchases. The official said the county had received a new BK dual-band high-band radio and that accessories such as external mics would be replaced from the radio replacement line when needed.
No formal vote on the packet was recorded during this exchange; the official said the finalized budget will be sent to the state for its approval and that monthly county bills will reflect what the state ultimately bills. The official told the board they would try to stagger future vehicle requests to avoid consecutive large requests in successive years.
