 A large part of the problem is the money. The city has for
the last several years operated on a deflating budget. With no
promise that the revenue brought into the city from state and local
taxes is going to increase any time soon, the council continues to
worry about how they will make ends meet in the years to come.On
the other hand, they also worry about the safety of their citizens
when they don't have reliable equipment for firefighting.
In February, when aldermen were putting together a budget for the
new fiscal year, they discussed the future of the fire department
and the problems that were going on with aging equipment.
At that time, Alderwoman Melody Anderson, who chairs the finance
committee, said that while all the departments had operated within
their budget in the last year, two departments had faced certain
challenges. Both the police and fire department had been hit hard by
the soaring price of vehicle fuels.
In addition, the fire department was stretching its budget to
exhaustion for maintenance and repairs on old, worn-out equipment.
Anderson acknowledged this, saying it wasn't the department's fault
that the equipment was too old and in too poor condition.
However, for the past fiscal year there was no funding in the
budget that would allow for a purchase. Looking ahead at the fiscal
year that began in May, the council made decisions not to purchase
police vehicles this year, with the hopes that the same money not
spent there could be invested in better equipment for the fire
department.
They also knew that whether it be a vehicle for the police
department or one for the fire department, the money could at least
in part come out of the city's general obligation bond. But with two
years left on the bond, the question has more recently become how
much of the bond they should spend at one time.
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In recent weeks, fire Chief Mark Miller has done research on a
number of issues regarding replacing the old engine 5104.
He reported to the council that he had applied for a grant that
would assist in paying for a new vehicle. But last week he said
those grants had been awarded and the city of Lincoln had not been
selected.
Miller had also told the council he would research what was
available on the market. He said he would not be seeking out a
custom-made vehicle like the last one the city purchased. He said he
would contact various sellers with the basic question, "What do you
have available?"
In recent weeks, Miller has presented the council with some
options for new stock fire trucks. He said they were plain trucks
with the necessary equipment and would do well for the department.
He quoted prices in the range of $350,000 for new stock or "demo"
vehicles. He also cautioned the council that these are the types of
vehicles that move quickly, so what is available one week, might not
be available the next.
The department also has a challenge of purchasing a vehicle that
is the right size. Because of the size of the current station bays
and doors, the vehicle must meet certain height specifications as
well as length.
[By NILA SMITH]
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