Due to lack of volunteers in the nearby vicinity of Skyline area, it decided to close.

The Mankato Fire Department agreed to take on fire duties for the Skyline area.

"It's bittersweet," Wayne Bishop, Skyline City Council member, said.

"It's time for it to go but we hate to see it go."

All items, truck included, are up for bidding on Bid Kato Online Auction's web page.

"We hope that the equipment gets to a good home, someone who can appreciate it and use it and get a good price for it."

Big Kato is an online auction house.

"I like to equate it to E-Bay only locally," Jennifer Willodson, operations manager, said.

 The fire crews operate on a low budget without much to begin with, so when thieves broke in, it was a blow to the station.

Joseph Bergov came to work to find the back garage pried open and the surveillance cameras he installed pointing the other way. Surveillance cameras managed to capture one suspect looking directly into the lens while the other aimed for the fire trucks parked inside.

In all, they made off with rescue tools used to save lives in serious accidents, firefighting tools, even a medical bag. It was the only gear the station had, and it was on loan from an established local fire station. Now crews are forced to rely on other agencies.

The reason for delaying the vote: the finance board wants assurances that the truck replacing the 1995 Sutphen pumper is consistent with a fire department’s long-term strategy. However, that strategy will be based on a six-month study that will not begin until July 12.

“This study will be six months, so it will become a safety issue,” Kingsbury told Michael Rea, finance board vice chairman.

Rea had initiated that the board hit the pause button.

“This request is untimely, and we should postpone it until we know the results of the study,” Rea said.

Brian Stern, finance board chairman, agreed, saying the board “should pause for a big capital investment and see if it is consistent with the study.”

In addition to safety concerns, Kingsbury said he did not want a delay to cause his department to lose the agreed upon price for the new truck.