Ladysmith town council voted to increase its proposed 2022–2026 financial plan budget to expedite the purchase of a new aerial fire truck.
The budget is proposed to increase to $2.1 million for the new truck. The town was offered an opportunity to purchase a demonstration truck at a reduced cost, which can be delivered this year. It otherwise would have had to wait 18–22 months for an engine to be built.
Council directed town staff to begin an early alternative approval process to facilitate the purchase, which will allow for public consultation before it is approved.
The ladder truck is in production now and is set to be completed in March and be available for delivery in September or October, according to a town staff report from council’s Jan. 25 meeting.
The draft financial plan included a budget of $1.7 million for a new ladder truck and was based on preliminary estimates of similar trucks in 2020.
“Like most of the town’s fire vehicles, this large purchase is funded using borrowing,” reads the staff report.
The report said debt payments could start as early as September and, assuming a principal amount of $2.1 million amortized over 25 years at 0.97 per cent, will be $94,630 annually for at least five years. After that, the debt will be re-amortized and a new annual payment will be calculated.
The new truck is a tandem axle and will replace the current single-axle vehicle. Coun. Amanda Jacobson questioned the vehicle’s ability to manoeuvre on tight streets and why the fire department wants to upgrade to a tandem axle.
“We were concerned that adding the equipment that we need to this [current] truck would be overweight,” said Fire Chief Chris Geiger. “By going to a tandem truck, it solves all of those problems. We don’t have to be concerned about how much hose we can put on a truck, or how much water we can carry or how many people we can put in it.”
He said the maneuverability is not as much of an issue as he initially thought it could have been. The truck has a tight tail swing and the pivot point is roughly the same as a single axle truck.
“We are excited about it because it is a little bit more nimble than we expected a large truck to be,” Geiger said.
The vehicle will fit in the existing firehall and will require some extra training for drivers. Geiger said it requires a class 3 license and he expects to have to train four people next year, then one to two each year after. “It will create a slight bump in training dollars required for that, but it’s not as much as you might expect,” he said.
The existing ladder truck will either go to auction, as per town policy, or council can grant a variance to sell it through other means, such as a broker. Mayor Aaron Stone suggested council receive a report from staff to outline options for the sale. Funds from the old truck will go into the town’s general revenue.
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