Fire Territory Board Oks Truck Purchase
June 8, 2022 at 1:48 a.m.
By Jackie [email protected]
Fire Chief Garrett Holderman said the timing to get the fire truck is roughly 18 months, but he said the funds to purchase the truck for $861,329 will come out of the 2023 budget.
Lt. Travis Rowland, chairman of the territory’s apparatus committee, said he believes the territory purchased an identical truck in 2019. Unfortunately, prices have skyrocketed. Rowland said he met with Hoosier Fire Equipment Inc. in January and the prices have increased 24% since the territory purchased the last truck in 2019 for station 3. Hoosier Fire Equipment Inc. is looking at another 6% price increase as of July 1.
Rowland asked the Board to proceed with getting the ball rolling to lock in the price before the July 1 increase.
Board member Brandon Schmidt asked if the truck that is being replaced has been troublesome like the last truck to be replaced was.
Rowland said it is not as bad; however, the replacement truck being asked for was scheduled for 2023, so the territory is on schedule for replacing its trucks. As expensive as it is, Rowland said he wants to save as much money as they can to get a new truck.
Schmidt said it was unfortunate the territory was between a rock and a hard place in replacing equipment and rising prices.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer asked, if the truck is built to order, if there was a chance the territory would be forced to take delivery of the truck before 2023. Rowland said the truck was built upon order and the territory wouldn’t see the truck until 2023.
Thallemer asked if it was possible Hoosier Fire Equipment Inc. had a truck that had been cancelled on and was ready to go out on the next purchase. Thallemer’s concern was the territory wasn’t ready to pay for the truck until 2023. Rowland said he’s never seen that happen.
Territory attorney Andrew Grossnickle asked if, with the request to proceed, there was going to be a contract that needed to be signed. Rowland said there was. Thallemer asked if the contract needed to be signed before the price increase. Rowland said from his understanding, yes, so the price can be locked in.
Thallemer said he thinks the board is doing the right thing, but he wants someone to lay eyes on the contract before it gets signed.
Fire Chief Garrett Holderman said the timing to get the fire truck is roughly 18 months, but he said the funds to purchase the truck for $861,329 will come out of the 2023 budget.
Lt. Travis Rowland, chairman of the territory’s apparatus committee, said he believes the territory purchased an identical truck in 2019. Unfortunately, prices have skyrocketed. Rowland said he met with Hoosier Fire Equipment Inc. in January and the prices have increased 24% since the territory purchased the last truck in 2019 for station 3. Hoosier Fire Equipment Inc. is looking at another 6% price increase as of July 1.
Rowland asked the Board to proceed with getting the ball rolling to lock in the price before the July 1 increase.
Board member Brandon Schmidt asked if the truck that is being replaced has been troublesome like the last truck to be replaced was.
Rowland said it is not as bad; however, the replacement truck being asked for was scheduled for 2023, so the territory is on schedule for replacing its trucks. As expensive as it is, Rowland said he wants to save as much money as they can to get a new truck.
Schmidt said it was unfortunate the territory was between a rock and a hard place in replacing equipment and rising prices.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer asked, if the truck is built to order, if there was a chance the territory would be forced to take delivery of the truck before 2023. Rowland said the truck was built upon order and the territory wouldn’t see the truck until 2023.
Thallemer asked if it was possible Hoosier Fire Equipment Inc. had a truck that had been cancelled on and was ready to go out on the next purchase. Thallemer’s concern was the territory wasn’t ready to pay for the truck until 2023. Rowland said he’s never seen that happen.
Territory attorney Andrew Grossnickle asked if, with the request to proceed, there was going to be a contract that needed to be signed. Rowland said there was. Thallemer asked if the contract needed to be signed before the price increase. Rowland said from his understanding, yes, so the price can be locked in.
Thallemer said he thinks the board is doing the right thing, but he wants someone to lay eyes on the contract before it gets signed.
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