Botsford Pumper—

Town Awaits Bids For New Fire Truck

By Andrew Gorosko

The selectmen plan to borrow $320,000 to buy a new town-owned fire pumper truck for use by the United Fire Company of Botsford, but Botsford firefighters question whether that amount is enough money to cover a truck purchase.

Firefighter Rich Brady, who heads the Botsford fire company’s truck committee, attended an August 16 selectmen’s meeting with other Botsford firefighters. Mr Brady explained that specifications for the delayed vehicle purchase have been repeatedly revised and pointed out that $320,000 may not now be enough money to buy the truck.

The town is awaiting bid submissions from fire truck firms for the truck, which are due by September 11.

The selectmen had endorsed spending $320,000 for a fire truck purchase during the last town budget process.

To expedite the truck purchase, the selectmen on August 16 supported making a $320,000 town appropriation for the truck through bonding. The matter will be reviewed by the Board of Finance.

Botsford Fire Chief Wayne Ciaccia said August 17, “We’ve really just got to play it by ear, right now.”

The pumper truck, which would replace an existing town-owned pumper truck, would be designated Truck #551, Chief Ciaccia said. The vehicle would be among those trucks that respond to all Botsford fire calls.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said August 18 that the firefighters had requested $395,000 for a new fire truck during the last town budget process, after which the selectmen reduced that amount to $320,000.

The last fire pumper truck, which the town purchased several years ago, cost $285,000, so the selectmen reduced the amount to be borrowed for a fire truck purchase to $320,000, Mr Rosenthal said.

Mr Rosenthal said that if the bids for the new fire truck come back higher than $320,000, the town could either seek more money for a purchase, or could meet with the lowest bidder on the truck in seeking to scale down the design to meet a $320,000 spending limit.