Argos Fire Chief Mark Dean asked the town council to purchase some updated extrication equipment during their meeting last week.
Dean asked to purchase a new spreader, cutter and ram in the amount of $32,355. He said the equipment will be put on the newest truck.
He said it would be about four months for the equipment to come in and the amount does not need to be paid until it is shipped.
Clerk-Treasurer Lisa Mullaney stressed that Green and Walnut Township Trustees typically provide 27 and 30 percent, respectively, of any amount that is paid for EMS and fire equipment. With this year being the last year for an ambulance payment, the money would not be available until next year.
However, she said the town could simply pay for the equipment and not charge the townships for their portion of the cost.
Councilman Shawn Harley suggested that the town just pay for the needed equipment.
Harley commented, “We sit here and we contemplate these things and we contemplate them and our equipment keeps getting older and older, it’s expired…all these are just unnecessary hurdles in my opinion. I know the fire territory is supposed to help this, but if we’re looking at a bill for $32,000 for tools that we need, I personally think that we should just go ahead and get them.”
Harley then made a motion that the town pay for what is needed and the motion passed with a unanimous vote.
