The city of Monroe is planning ahead when it comes to buying key assets for the fire department in hopes of spreading out the timing of the purchases and minimizing the financial impact on the budget.
During last week’s City Council meeting, members unanimously authorized City Manager Larry Lester to enter into a contract with Pierce Emergency Solutions for the purchase of a Pierce 107-foot aerial ladder truck not to exceed $225,000 annually.
Finance Director Jake Burton said the truck is expected to cost about $1.7 million with the city making yearly payments of $194,000 over 12 years. Burton said the city looked at the 10- and 12-year interest rates and they were the same.
Mayor Keith Funk said the purchase was recommended by the Safety Committee and the city won’t have any expenses related to the truck this year.
Burton said the first payment will be due in February 2025.
This truck will replace an aerial unit, a Quint, purchased in 2007 with an estimated 20-year replacement cycle, according to Fire Chief David Leverage. He said the truck is expected to be delivered between late 2028 and early 2029.
The new Quint will play “a critical role” as the first response unit for Station 62, ensuring that an aerial apparatus is always available for incidents, according to a staff report.
Leverage said once the new unit arrives, the 2007 Sutphen Quint will be sold, and proceeds will help offset a portion of the new unit’s price.
This purchase is part of the fire department’s comprehensive capital purchasing plan to prioritize and “strategically manage” the replacement of vehicles and major equipment, according to the staff report. The plan extends through 2038.
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