Waterville OKs purchase of $794,900 ladder truck

8/10/2004

Waterville Village Council last night approved the purchase of a $794,900 fire truck, acknowledging that buying the truck would mean cuts to future budgets.

The new truck, made by Pierce Manufacturing Inc., is a 2003 demonstration model equipped with a 100-foot ladder. The Waterville Fire Department has been without a ladder truck since the ladder broke on its 1973 truck about two months ago.

"Being without a ladder truck greatly affects the safety of not only the citizens of Waterville, but the firefighters," fire Chief Steven Parsons said.

The village will trade in the old truck for a $35,000 credit and will pay the remaining $759,900 cost for the new truck over a 15-year period.

"We're saying this is our number one priority, and we're saying that we're willing to cut in other areas," Councilman Lori Brodie said.