As the town inches closer to Town Meeting, a regular topic of discussion for the Marion Finance Committee continues to be the fire pumper truck requested by the Fire Department, just as it was last year.
What has changed since then, though, is the FinCom’s acceptance of the high price tag that still hovers at $540,000. At the 2014 Annual Town Meeting, FinCom recommended against the fire pumper article and Town Meeting agreed.
This year, the committee appears poised to recommend a fire pumper article, although the discussion is still not over and another week remains before the committee finally makes its recommendations on the Town Meeting warrant.
On March 26, another proposed emergency vehicle joined the conversation, although the three FinCom members in attendance have not yet warmed up to the notion of a new ambulance without a good enough reason for it.
“I have seen no real justification as to why we need a new ambulance other than [they] said we need a new ambulance,” said Finance Committee Chairman Alan Minard. He said, basically, he was told simply that the department needed a new one and three bids unspecified that evening were provided to them.
“I don’t see how we do both in the same year,” said FinCom member Margie Baldwin. “Nobody buys two cars in the same year,” she added, trying to be practical as she put it.
Well, they are both debt, said Minard, and how much debt does the Town wish to take on right now, he asked.
Minard shifted back to the fire pumper and mentioned that on the night of March 25, the night before the FinCom meeting, there was a meeting of the Fire Engine Study Committee that resulted in a 3-2 vote to adopt the $540,000 number for the warrant.
Minard said the one bid that remained constant at that amount was for a truck with specs that “does everything but tell which way to tighten the bolts.”
Minard said he asked Fire Chief Thomas Joyce if he would buy that truck priced as such, and he replied, no. Minard said, by his estimation, the pumper should cost roughly $480,000, “But that’s not the truck they want to buy.”
“Then you have a fire chief who’s deciding what truck to buy and he’s leaving in June,” said Baldwin. Chief Joyce will retire on June 30.
The chairman said, “In any business situation this wouldn’t be the case,” adding that, before the truck goes out for bid, the Town better make sure the new chief is content with the pumper slated for purchasing.
Back to the ambulance, Minard suggested having Fire/EMS Deputy Chief Joseph Dayton provide the Finance Committee with further documentation on the necessity of a new ambulance.
“It’s the same thing we ask every ‘capital person’ to provide us,” said Minard. “The same thing we do to the police chief … why do you need a new truck?”
The Marion Fiscal Year 2016 budget rests at $20,457,508, a 2.74% rise from last year.
“So, we’re in pretty good shape there I think,” said Minard.
The next meeting of the Marion Finance Committee is scheduled for Thursday, April 2 at 7:00 pm at 13 Atlantis Drive.
By Jean Perry
