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Sherman County board approves $290,000 refurbishment of Engine 22 to avoid high new‑truck costs
Summary
Members voted to refurbish Engine 22 — reconditioning its firebox and mounting it on a new chassis — after new‑truck quotes topped $630,000 to $830,000; officials said refurbishing will save money, preserve key components and avoid dipping into reserves.
The Sherman County board approved a $290,000 contract to refurbish Engine 22, opting to recondition the existing firebox and remount it on a new chassis rather than buy a brand‑new engine that had received bids as high as $630,000–$830,000.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the refurbish preserves usable components (tank and pump), updates plumbing to stainless steel, and reduces the county’s near‑term capital outlay compared with new‑truck bids that some speakers described as “not realistic.” The motion to approve the purchase was made by Committee member (S3) and seconded by Committee member (S2); the board approved the purchase by voice vote.
What speakers said: An agency official presenting the option (Agency official (S8)) told the board the vendor has the original spec sheet for the truck and would recondition the bed, reuse the existing tank and update plumbing, then paint the unit so it appears brand new. “They’d completely recondition it … they’d use existing tank … they’d update all the plumbing to stainless steel … that truck, when it comes back, it’d look like brand new,” the official said.
Committee member (S3), who moved the measure, framed the decision as a cost‑saving measure compared with previously discussed new‑truck prices and asked that the county lock in current prices to avoid inflationary increases. Board discussion noted $150,000 had already been earmarked in the current budget and additional amounts were planned in future budgets; officials said equipment reserves could cover the remaining balance so the purchase would not raise taxes.
Timing and operations: Presenters estimated long lead times for new chassis (8–12 months to obtain a chassis and then additional months to complete the build). Officials recommended moving forward to secure pricing now to avoid higher future costs and to avoid exhausting two‑year equipment reserves.
Next steps: The vendor will proceed with refurbishing Engine 22 as approved and county staff will manage payment and scheduling under the contract. No additional formal action on the item was recorded at the meeting.
