Fire Truck Denied for Cheswick Fire Department

CHESWICK, Pa. -- Council again has refused to buy the fire department a new fire engine.

Council voted 4-3 on Tuesday against a motion from Councilman Frank Meledandri Jr. to buy the truck for about $330,000 from manufacturer Rosenbauer, which operates in the Midwest. Council President Jonathan Skedel voted against the motion, along with Councilwoman Vickie Roolf and Councilmen Neal Hohman and Brian Harvanek.

A fire department proposal to contribute as much as $70,000 to the purchase failed to persuade the majority to change its mind. So, too, did more than 425 signatures from residents who support the idea of buying a new engine to replace the current one, which is 23 years old.

Joe Ferrero, fire department president, said the truck is worth $30,000 at most and needs about $100,000 in repairs. Notably, the department wants to put a new cab on what now is an open-cab apparatus.

He said the department sent a mailer to every borough home to gauge support for its proposal. He said more than 425 residents responded, saying they agree the department needs the new truck.

Council in February voted down a proposal to buy the department a new truck, Ferrero said.

A standing-room-only crowd packed the borough garage last night, many of them to support the fire department.

At one point, the crowd repeatedly chanted, "Safety," to show council it believes the borough needs to buy the engine.

A number of firefighters attended, including Chief Lindsay Sandusky.

"There's no fire truck," Skedel said when asked by a resident if council's vote put an end to the issue.

Skedel argued the truck runs well and doesn't need costly upgrades.

He said he doesn't want to saddle taxpayers with the cost of buying a new one.

Last year, council approved refinancing a bond with the intent of buying a new fire engine. Skedel, Roolf and Hohman weren't on council then.

Skedel said he wants the department the join the merger between the Harmar and Springdale township departments, a move Sandusky and Ferrero said they oppose.

Sandusky said borough firefighters initially were involved in the merger talks but pulled out because too much time was dedicated to fundraising issues and not enough time was given to firefighting issues.

Officials with the merging department couldn't be reached late last night.

Skedel has said he favors dedicating the money from the bond to repairing the borough's water plant, which failed last year.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service