Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 2008-07-30 Special Meeting of the Ithaca Town Board Wednesday, July 30 , 2008 AGENDA 1 . Call to Order 2 . Pledge of Allegiance 3 . Consider Resolution to approve fire equipment capital purchases 4 . Consider Adjournment Y, 4t a - Town Board Minutes July 30, 2008 Final Special Meeting of the Ithaca Town Board Pr Wednesday, July 30 2008 at 7 : 00 p . m . Y`nom 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 Present Herb Engman , Supervisor; Pat Leary, Councilwoman ; Peter Stein , Councilman ; Bill Goodman , Councilman ; Tee-Ann Hunter, Councilwoman ; Rich DePaolo , Councilman . Staff Karen Billings , Town Clerk Others Ithaca Fire Department Personnel — Chief Brian Wilbur; Chris Hamilton ; Michael Schnurle . Syl Kacapyr and Bill Gilligan Call to Order Supervisor Engman called the meeting to order at 7 : 02 p . m . Upon a motion To Consider a Resolution to Approve Fire Equipment Capital Purchases which was moved by Supervisor Engman and seconded by Councilman Stein , Supervisor Engman briefly explained the process involved in the City of Ithaca budget process involving the fire department: Annually, in August , the Town Supervisor receives the Fire Department Operating Budget followed by a Mayor' s narrative ; then he next receives the city of Ithaca final budget with all capital projects listed , including the fire department budget . Supervisor Engman explained that we were aware of and voted on the two new firefighters ( 2008 ) , but we were not aware of the capital purchases (fire truck in 2007 and another in 2008 ) . When the fire department went out to bid , the costs had risen an extra $ 175 , 000 , leaving us in the situation of considering whether to approve the purchase of the two new fire trucks and the resulting higher cost bids . The bid prices are set to expire at the end of this month . Supervisor Engman invited Chief Brian Wilbur of the Ithaca Fire Department ( IFD ) to add any further comments . Chief Wilbur explained that they were able to trim the budget slightly, leaving the total amount for the two fire trucks to $ 1 , 090 , 032 , instead of the originally anticipated amount of $ 1 , 130 , 000 . Page l of 4 Town Board Minutes July 30, 2008 Final Chief Wilbur explained departmental staffing needs and anticipated increases . He explained that the Fire Department is going to purchase two fire trucks and retire three fire trucks . Supervisor Engman explained that the normal active life of a fire truck is 15 years and the trucks are currently kept for 20 years , with the last five years serving as backup . Discussion followed: Board members asked questions about the lifespan of the fire trucks and what is done with them when they are retired and Chief Wilbur responded that they are typically sold at auction , generally the Lansing Municipal Auction , but that they do not sell -for very much because they are so used up" . Sometimes they advertise them and they will try to sell the three that they are retiring at bid . They anticipate getting less than $ 101000 . Councilwoman Hunter asked Chief Wilbur about the use of the revenue that comes in from the sale of used fire trucks and Chief Wilbur responded that the revenue comes into the city of Ithaca ( General Fund ) and is shown as revenue on the fire department line and the town will see an adjustment based on the revenue received per our contract agreement . Supervisor Engman explained that the town gets about a third of that and Councilman Stein said that it is the same 60 : 40 split that is always shared with the town . Councilman DePaolo asked about replacement of vehicles and Chief Wilbur explained that replacements have fallen behind . The original replacement schedule agreed upon , back in 1989 , was 15 years on first line servers and five years on reserve . The apparatus is now older than the fire department would like . Chief Wilbur explained that the older the fleet , the more maintenance issues ; there have been times when the fire department has had up to four vehicles out of service . Councilman DePaolo asked Chief Wilbur about the current fleet and Chief Wilbur responded that the fire department has four first line engines ( 1 - 1995 at West Hill ; 1 - 2000 at Central ; 1 -2000 at Engine #9 ; 1 -2001 at South Hill nr. Ithaca College ) ; one aerial ( 1 - 1999 at Central ) and one Heavy Rescue vehicle in ready reserve but not staffed . Additionally, reserve vehicles include 2 - 1989 engines ; 1 - 1985 engine and 1 - 1995 aerial , plus a smaller fleet including a HazMat vehicle and chief transport , etc . Councilwoman Leary asked where the newest vehicles will go and Chief Wilbur said that Engines 1 ( Central Fire Station ) and 9 ( College Town ) run the highest number of alarms and the new ones will most- likely go there and the engines that come out of Engine 9 will go to Engine 6 in West Hill . More discussion took place regarding obsolescence of the vehicles and the dwindling number of manufacturers available to produce new ones . Six of the current vehicles owned by the Ithaca Fire Department were produced by Salisbury, a manufacturer no longer in existence . Page 2 of 4 Town Board Minutes July 30, 2008 Final The city of Ithaca will go out for bonding on this capital purchase . The life of the bond is 20 years (the life of the fire truck ) , which will start next year, with a chassis payment this year. The Town of Ithaca will pay about $ 13 , 000/year out of its fire tax . Councilwoman Hunter wanted to know what dictates the number of fire trucks in a municipality. Chief Wilbur responded that there are no real mandates per se , but that they depend on the ISO ( Insurance Services Office ) , which rates community fire departments , water systems and communication systems and on the basis of their rating they establish a rate structure that insurance companies may use to determine their rates. They do stipulate travel distances for fire trucks for response times . IFD ' s current response time is slightly over four minutes (from the time we know about the call to the time we arrive ) , explained Chief Wilbur. He went on to say that the response time is creeping up because we have an increasing number of calls and that he would like to place an additional engine in service . Chief Wilbur said that his ideal response time is four minutes . Hearing no further discussion , Supervisor Engman called for a vote . TB RESOLUTION NO. 2008- 157: RESOLUTION TO APPROVE FIRE EQUIPMENT CAPITAL PURCHASES WHEREAS, the 2007 City of Ithaca Capital Budget included $460, 000. 00 for the purchase of a pumper /engine (CP 713); and WHEREAS, the 2008 City of Ithaca Capital Budget included $500, 000. 00 for the purchase of an additional pumper/engine (CP 735); and WHEREAS, the City — Town of Ithaca Fire Contract stipulates that "Expenditures in any year for new equipment shall not exceed $200, 000, absent the mutual agreement of the parties hereto prior to commitments for such purchases and financing of same '; and WHEREAS, bids have been received for the two apparatuses; and WHEREAS, the bids have been evaluated for compliance by the Ithaca Fire Department Apparatus Specification Committee; and WHEREAS, the price bid for apparatus and equipment that complies with Fire Department specifications exceeds the funded amount(s); NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Town Board approves the purchase of the two apparatuses at a total cost of $ 1 , 090, 032 for the two pumper/engines with all necessary equipment, and Page 3 of 4 Town Board Minutes July 30, 2008 Final FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Ithaca commits to its share of the total cost as per the current City - Town of Ithaca Fire Contract. MOVED: Supervisor Engman SECONDED: Councilman Stein VOTE: Supervisor Engman: aye Councilwoman Leary: aye Councilman Stein : aye Councilman Goodman: aye Councilwoman Hunter: aye Councilman DePaolo: aye Motion approved - unanimous Hearing no further business , Supervisor Engman called for a motion to adjourn . MOTION TO ADJOURN : Councilman Goodman SECONDED : Councilman Stein Meeting adjourned at 7 : 35 p . m . Respectfully submitted by , ,,/ Karen M . Billings Town Clerk Page 4 of 4