Eagle with Stars and Stripes
Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854

Plain Township Purchasing Tanker For Fire Department

Posted

LEESBURG - The Plain Township Advisory Board awarded S&S Fire Apparatus Co. a $169,478 contract for a new pumper/tanker truck Tuesday.

No other vendor submitted a bid.

The board will meet again at 1 p.m. Tuesday to determine whether to pay for the truck in total by July 17 - a move that could save the township $6,480 - or pay it off in increments.

"The new truck will not require any additional tax revenue. We have enough money in the cumulative and fire funds to be able to pay for the truck now," trustee Don Boggs told the board.

One concern expressed by board member Martha Mayer, was the approximate trade-in value of the tanker now being used by the fire department. According to John Peters, of S&S, the value of the old truck is estimated at $3,000 to $5,000.

"From the standpoint of domestic resale, you're looking at a very low market," Peters said. "Most used fire trucks in the U.S. are exported to Central and South America.

Board member Jerry Kammerer said he isn't concerned about the ability to dispose of the current tanker once the new truck is delivered.

"The town of Leesburg has said they'd be interested in buying the tanker for flushing out the storm and sewer drains and waterlines, so I don't think we'll have any problem getting rid of the tanker ourselves," he said.

In other business, Mayer said that no alterations to the new government center are to be done without prior approval of the board.

"I want to gently, but firmly, let these people (tenants) know they aren't to do anything to this building without first getting our approval," she said.

The board also received a confidential appraisal of the old township fire department building and will consult with the Leesburg Town Council on the possibility of selling the facility to the town.