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South Londonderry Township supervisors on Tuesday agreed to float a loan for an unspecified amount to Campbelltown Fire Company to help pay for a new fire truck in 2024.
The Campbelltown Fire Company plans to purchase a new truck built to order, and has been offered a contract totaling $877,622. They have until April 30 to accept it.
Due to the time pressure to agree to the contract, the fire company asked the board to consider agreeing to a partial loan, which would pay for the truck alongside the fire tax.
Members of the board present (Faith Bucks and Jack Custer) unanimously agreed to commit to a loan, but not a specific amount.
Final numbers have not yet been calculated, so the board will need to work with the fire company to draft a resolution and loan documents. Tuesday’s action simply approves the deal as proposed.
The fire company will not need to begin paying for the truck until it has been delivered in 2024, at which point 95% of costs will be due.
Bucks estimated that around $500,000 is currently stored up in fire tax funds. More will accrue by the time payment is due.
Custer’s motion to approve the deal requested that the fire company look into the merits of paying some of the contract early for a better deal.
The loan will be paid back gradually using $40,000 per year from the fire tax and $40,000 per year from the fire hall’s general fund.
The new fire truck, replacing a 1995 model, will be a Seagrave Marauder with a six-man cap. The engine itself will cost $829,622, while equipment is estimated to cost $35,000 and radio and equipment mounting is estimated to cost $13,000.
Other business
In other business, the board:
- Reviewed the As-Build for a stormwater detention facility at 168 Schoolhouse Road and unanimously approved an operation and maintenance agreement allowing its use as a wet detention facility, whereas it was originally designed as a dry detention facility.
- Unanimously approved an updated traffic plan for the Got the Nerve Triathlon, to be held May 21 from 7:45 to 10:30 a.m.
- Unanimously agreed to advertise the sale of a 2005 backhoe.
- Heard reports including the township manager’s report, which noted that Spring Cleanup Day is planned for April 23 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and that street sweeping will run from April 27 to 29.
- Heard a suggestion from township manager John Eberly to consider Cyber Insurance for the township, offering three quotes ranging from $16,000 to $7,500. No action was taken and Eberly was asked to look into the matter further.
- Unanimously agreed to authorize the easement of property at Colebrook for the construction and maintenance of a new sign.
- Followed Police Chief William Reigle’s recommendation and unanimously agreed to end Officer John Dengler’s one-year probationary period.
- Updated the public on the search committee for a new police officer who has been selected with effective hire date May 16, should he pass background checks. His proposed salary is $69,493.
- Unanimously approved bill and payroll lists 06 and 07-22.
- Unanimously approved the minutes for the March 8 board meeting (PDF), the March 15 special meeting and the March 23 board workshop.
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An earlier version of this article misidentified the brand of fire truck. It is a Seagrave Marauder, not a C-grade marauder as originally stated.