The Taylor Town Council voted to approve the purchase of two nearly new fire trucks for the Taylor-Snowflake Fire and Medical Department from Firetrucks Unlimited out of Nevada for a total of $340,000 at the council meeting on Sept. 6.
Fire Chief William Nelson shared, “One of the things we needed to address in our department was our aging fire apparatus. Both of our trucks are over 20 years old. We were looking to get a new truck, when we came across these two used trucks that are in excellent shape. They are four-wheel drive pumpers made by Seagrave and are high quality trucks. We can purchase both trucks for less than a new truck.”
One of the trucks is a 2008 with 24,000 miles and the other is a 2009 with 54,000 miles. The trucks are identical and can be equipped identically which solves a lot of problems both for training and deployment of the firefighters.
Firetrucks Unlimited agreed to sell the trucks to the Town of Taylor as a packaged deal complete with more than $2,200 worth of inspections per truck and all repairs from that inspection paid for by the company.
Nelson said the money to pay for the trucks would come out of the Wildland fund. “We have sufficient money there now for the next couple of year’s payments.”
As part of the agreement, the two old fire trucks will be turned over to Firetrucks Unlimited for refurbishing to sell again.
Councilman Carl Cosper asked why these trucks were being sold. “It’s like a used car; you have to wonder why someone is selling it.”
Nelson explained that the trucks came from a Utah fire department. “These trucks don’t match the other trucks that they have and they are equalizing their fleet. They just want to make all their trucks the same.”
Town Manager Gus Lundberg said, “These engines are probably more than $700,000 new. They were listed separately. Chief took the asking price on both and negotiated an offer. That offer has been accepted pending your approval, but all the added costs like the inspections and getting the issues fixed and addressed are not increasing our cost at all. We will have the radio installation cost and the decal cost.”
Lundberg said the town has been approved for an eight-year loan for $350,000 at 3.2 percent with a payment each year of $50,000 upon the approval of the council for the purchase. “I requested $10,000 more to cover the cost for radio installation and incidentals that we haven’t thought of.” Money for the fire trucks is budgeted from the Wildland fund, which currently brings in approximately $100,000 per year.
