The price tag on that project is expected to be $300,000, financed through a bond issue of $300,000 with an estimated net interest rate of 2.5 percent.

“It doesn’t affect the budget much, and it won’t affect the mill rate,” she said.

In fact, selectmen don’t anticipate much change in the tax rate this year. It won’t be finalized until after the School Administrative District 11 budget is approved in June. It’s now $13.20 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

In all, the town’s proposed spending is expected to come in at $998,000, about $6,000 more this year thanlast. The big increases are proposed in summer maintenance for the highways, up $27,000; and for snow removal, sand and salt, up about $12,000. This year’s proposal is seeking one-time funding of $22,000 to replace the roof on the central fire station. Hubert said those items, as are all the highway accounts, are funded by excise tax, and that does not affect the property tax rate.

Not all costs would increase. This year, selectmen are not budgeting for legal fees, and the cost of maintenance at the salt shed is dropping from $32,000 to $3,600.

Ramsey’s first fire station was an addition to the Ramsey Municipal Center, which was constructed in 1988 when the city started its fire department. Kapler was among the approximately 30 people who first volunteered to be firefighters for the new Ramsey Fire Department.

The new Fire Station 2 sits on 2.34 acres at the intersection of Alpine Drive and Helium Street. It is just north of the old Fire Station 2 that will be demolished when the second phase of Harvest Estates housing development moves forward. The fire station was left behind when other city staff and the police department moved to the new Ramsey Municipal Center in 2006.

The firetruck appeared to suffer little more than a nick to its back left bumper, but Tyler said officials don’t know yet if the piping for the fire pump or any equipment in the compartments was damaged. “We won’t know that until at least Monday,” he said.

The 750-gallon fire engine arrived on Wednesday and is housed at the 4438 Highpoint Boulevard fire station.

"Adding this truck will significantly improve our reliability and will enhance our capability to fight fires," Chambers says.

Officials at the City of Prichard say yet another fire truck is expected in the coming months, which will bring the total fire trucks in Prichard to six when summer rolls around.

Prichard began the year with only three trucks.