By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The Decatur Fire Department’s aerial truck is 30 years old and is beginning to show its age, Chief Jeff Sheets told both the board of works and city council Tuesday night.
So it’s time to start looking toward a new one. But…
…it’s going to cost nearly $4 million.
…ordering the truck today would mean it wouldn’t arrive until probably 2029.
…it’s difficult to determine a financing plan with Decatur and communities across the state facing major income losses if the state legislature follows through on plans to cut property taxes.
Sheets appeared before the meetings of both the board of works and safety and later the city council to, as described by Clerk-Treasurer Kevin Hackman. “start the discussion that this is real and is coming sooner rather than later.”
Ordered now, a new aerial would cost around $2.7 million for the chassis and $1.1 for the engine, or roughly $3.8 million.
The current aerial truck “is starting to act up here and there,” Sheets said. Local firefighters do what they can to make repairs, he noted, but the company that made the truck is now out of business.
There is one other option, Sheets pointed out. Each Monday, the Pierce Manufacturing company (which has built other local fire trucks) publicizes a list of “spec” aerials. Those have some miles on them, having been used for demonstrations and the like.
The price tag would be roughly the same but one of them could be secured by a fire department in a number of months rather than years.
If, however, Decatur went in that direction, it would have to have the funding in place to make a quick purchase.
On the previous Monday, Sheets explained, there were four “specs” on the list – and all four were gone by nightfall!
Hackman said he is meeting with a bank representative this week to “get some realistic options on what we can and can’t do (on financing a new truck).”
Mayor Dan Rickord, however, pointed out, “There is no way we can this decision (on financing) now, not until we find out what the tax cuts are going to be.”
One of Gov. Mike Braun’s campaign vows was major cuts in property taxes. He continues to push for same during the current legislative session, but has gotten some opposition, even from his own party. So at this time, the issue is up in the air, with municipalities across the state waiting.
MORE BAD NEWS: Sheets informed the board that he had “some more bad news.”
A 2002 pumper truck, the oldest of the department’s 11 trucks, is souring and recently failed a DOT inspection.
Local firefighters are also trying to keep this one together, with rust and a bad leak being major problems. But if it cannot pass inspection in the next two years, “it will have to be pulled out of service,” Sheets explained.
A replacement would likely cost $1 million to $1.2 million and would probably take three years to arrrive.
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