FARMINGTON — When voters go to the polls on Tuesday, November 5, they will be asked to approve a capital acquisition project to purchase a fire truck to replace Farmington Fire Rescue Department’s Engine 1.
If approved, the project would include transaction costs and other expenses reasonably related to the purchase. $800,000 would be appropriated with $300,000 coming from the fire truck reserve account and $500,000 to be borrowed by the town. The total cost over the 10-year life of the bond is estimated to be $582,500.
With $48,000 from the reserve account approved by the Selectboard Sept. 10 for repairs to Engine 2, about $6,000 would remain in that account until next year. Additional funds are expected to be added back in the 2020 budget.
At the Oct. 8 Selectmen meeting, Town Manager Richard Davis stated that the Fire Rescue Department received an $806,000 bid from Pierce Manufacturing. If there are no adjustments to the bid price through changes in the specs, the Town would appropriate funds from the 2020 reserve account to cover the difference in cost.
At that meeting, Capt. Tim D. Hardy said the new firetruck would replace Engine 1, a 2002 rescue pumper that has corrosion and electrical issues that have plagued the truck for a few years. The new truck is a rescue-style pumper that carries all team rescue equipment and has fire suppression capabilities.
Capt. Hardy stated it takes 192 working days from the signing of the contract for the truck to be completed. He estimated it would be approximately one year before the truck arrives.
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