The City Council voted 12-0 to withdraw $500,000 from the city's stabilization, or savings account, to buy the new pumper truck. It will replace a truck that is 16 years old.
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"This purchase will put the fire department in a very solid position in terms of our ability to respond with reliable apparatus when needed," Fire Chief Dean Desmarais said.
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He urged the City Council to approve the purchase as soon as possible since the price of the new truck increased by $13,908 in early February. Desmarais said he had negotiated a deal with the vendor to extend the original price of $488,823 but only if they acted within a week.