City commissioners gave tentative approval to ordering a new ambulance, at their regular meeting Tuesday night.
The ambulance, replacing a 13-year-old model had been budgeted already for the 2010 budget to come out of the equipment reserve fund.
Fire Chief Randy Leach suggested ordering it now because he believes the chassis they want may not be available next year. Because of tougher emissions standards, Leach said dealers had told him Ford would not be making the chassis available for ambulances next year, and so only those that are currently produced will be available.
Ordering now would save the city a substantial amount, Leach said. The city had budgeted $180,000 for the ambulance but by ordering now they could get what they want for $153,000.
Some commissioners questioned whether the chassis was really going to be discontinued, and wanted to wait and find out how many would be available after the end of the year.
No money would be spent until 2010 anyway, and would not affect the current year’s budget, City manager Steve Archer said.
The ambulance being replaced has transmission trouble and is not taken out of town unless absolutely necessary, Leach said. The cost of replacing the transmission would be more than the value of the ambulance, he added.
Leach said if the chassis they want is not available, they would have to go with a gasoline powered ambulance, or with an International which would also cost more.
Leach said he would “just trying to get ahead of the situation,” by wanting to order the ambulance this year. He said his vendors have told him a lot of cities are doing the same thing, and they could possibly run out of the chassis they want to get.
Commissioner Jean Snell originally questioned whether the chassis would still be available, but later said there was nothing to be gained by waiting until the next meeting.
“I just want to be sure the information we have is accurate,” he said.
Commissioners approved ordering the ambulance with the stipulation that Archer check and see exactly how many of the chassis are still available. If it looks like there will be plenty available after the first of the year, they may wait until then to place the order.
See the rest of the commission story here
See the rest of the commission story here
Any bets on whether Kuhn construction gets a new ambulance?
ReplyDeleteI don't know for sure, but I don't think Kuhn got his 'ambulance' from the city, although it wouldn't suprise me. One thing that DOES suprise me is Lane Massey openly disclosing that he owns property that will be used to lay the new water line, and that he will not be accepting any payment for the easement rights. On that basis alone, he should be commended, and I personally think that he should recieve the appropriate easement value that is applicable. Seems he is honest enough to make the offer and his honesty in this matter should be recognized.
ReplyDelete@6:37 - really good post Lane. May win you a Nobel Prize if you had only used your real name. Too much city staff = too much time to stroke ones own self on the blogs.
ReplyDeleteonly if it has pictures.
ReplyDeleteand one would wonder why he purchased a hunk of land in the location it is in, why would a City offical buy a isolated piece of land behind walmart, is he going to turn into a Nature surivivalist?? odds are better that there is financial motivation down the road.
ReplyDeletehey wait, could this be the new Tiff area hmmmmmmmmmm evil thoughts prevail in times of sneeky actions
Conspiracy theorists got nothing on you dude.
ReplyDeleteThe chunk of land is where his house I guess?
The area of the line is pretty long, not just behind walmart.
Check your facts JJ I hear the ambulance purchase has been cancelled!
ReplyDeleteHeard the ambulance purchase has been at least delayed for awhile. Wonder what changed their minds, and how it happened without a meeting of the commissioners.
ReplyDeleteIll have to check. The ooncensus at the meeting was to proceed. The local paper reported the same thing, so there were two witnesses.
ReplyDeleteBUT, they did tell archer to check with the provider to see if that model would still be available after the first of the year.
If it will be avialable, then he was to put off the purchase, so that may be what happened.
I still dont get the need to put off the purchase. They can come in 20-some thousand under budget. The price is not going to go down and could go up.
So I what the point is in waiting.
Either way, they wont pay until next year anyway.