Aug. 17--CHESHIRE -- Fire Chief Jack Casner will ask the Town Council some time this fall to appropriate money to hire a consultant to develop a plan for replacing the 11 vehicles his department operates.
Casner told council members of his plan during a review of the Fire Department's portion of the town's five-year capital budget. The only money that the department has requested for this year's portion of the budget is $300,000 to extend water mains into areas of town not currently served by them.
But starting with the 2013-2014 capital budget, the department will be looking to replace the oldest of its vehicles, an aerial truck that was purchased in 1970. The cost of hiring a consultant to do the review has not yet been determined.
"A lot of this stuff that needs to be replaced is something that would be nice to do," Casner told the council. "It's apparatus that really has to start being replaced."
Three of the 10 other vehicles the Fire Department responds to emergencies with were purchased between 1990 and 1994.
Town Manager Michael Milone acknowledge that the department has had to delay some of its purchases because of more pressing financial issues in town.
"The Fire Department has been one of the casualties of the waste water treatment plant," Milone said, referring to $31.3 million facility upgrade that is part of the current capital budget.
Contact Luther Turmelle at 203-789-5706 or follow him on Twitter @LutherTurmelle.
Copyright 2012 - New Haven Register, Conn.
