May 01--WENATCHEE -- Buying a new engine to bolster the city's aging fleet of fire trucks is on hold indefinitely because of unexpected financial difficulties in the department.
"Just when it looked like we were going to be blessed with a new engine, things started happening to set us back," Fire Chief Stan Smoke.
Several of the Wenatchee Fire Department's 24 firefighters have experienced medical problems that kept them off work so far this year, resulting in higher-than-normal overtime costs to cover for them.
Partway through April, the department had paid more than $71,000 in overtime -- nearly half its $150,000 overtime budget for the year. If it continues at that pace, those costs could end up $50,000 to $100,000 over budget by the end of the year, said Mayor Frank Kuntz.
He said there are currently six firefighters out on medical leave and overtime was costing the city just under $1,000 a day in April. He said none of the medical problems are work related and include snowmobile and motorcycle accidents.
The $350,000 budgeted for a new fire truck is still available. But Smoke requested an additional nearly $100,000 to buy the truck he wants. The extra costs are for insurance, rescue box, phone system and heavy-duty chassis.
The City Council might have considered the additional money were it not for the overtime issue, Kuntz said.
"I just don't have the money for both," he said. "At this point, we just don't have the budget for a new truck as long as their overtime keeps going up at the pace it has."
If overtime costs can be brought in line, the department may still be able to buy a truck this year, Smoke said. But it will still require the council to approve more money. The truck he wants to buy costs about $440,000, he added.
"Yes, it's disappointing," he said. "We were so close to getting a new truck."
The good thing, he said, is that all the city's trucks are in service and its ladder truck recently underwent a $50,000 upgrade.
The fire truck replacement fund was one of many city funds raided in recent years to cover debt payments on the Town Toyota Center. The fleet has experienced a myriad of problems in recent years and has spent much time in the shop getting repaired.
Occasionally, the department has relied on neighboring Douglas County and Chelan County Fire District 1 to help with fires in the city.
Kuntz said he and the council are supportive of the need to replace aging fire trucks. They allocated money for a new truck this year and to refurbish the ladder truck, as well as bought a new aid truck last year.
"We've committed significant dollars to this department," he added.
Reach Russ Hemphill at 509-665-1161 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @Worldcityeditor.
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