The Truth About The Pumper Replacement Plan

Brief History:

To my knowledge the pumper replacement plan started in 2002, although I have heard that there were plans started even before that.  The original Engine 2 drawing was dated 2002.  The MVFD has a spec that is dated February 11, 2003. 

In the Winter of 2003, MVFD Officers met with then First Selectman Ed St. John, to discuss the replacement of Engine 2.  Mr. St. John expressed a real interest in what he described as a “Global Plan” - solving three problems all at the same time by replacing Engine 2, refurbishing or replacing Engine 4 and Rescue 1.  He expressed an interest in bonding the entire project. 

Then came the politics.  Mr. DeAngelis FOIed the MVFD for Mr. St. John’s Ph.D. documents, presumingly to dig up “dirt” on Mr. St. John, while fighting Town Hall against the Straw Pond Development.  The MVFD complied, as was mandated by law, and the relationship between the MVFD and Mr. St. John began to erode.  Mr. St. John began a series of attacks against the MVFD and its leadership.  No pumper on the horizon.

In 2005, disheartened from the past attacks against the MVFD, many of the MVFD members (certainly not all) chose to support Mrs. Bollard for First Selectman.  A bitter campaign ensued, but in the end Mr. St. John won the reelection. Even though Mr. St. John won, he was unable to put his bitterness aside and work with the members of the MVFD. In fact, the exact opposite was about to happen.

In the Spring of 2006, the Chief and Officers of the MVFD appeared at a Selectman’s meeting to ascertain what the status was with plans to replace the pumper. In a series of three meetings with the Selectmen that could be characterized as a bureaucratic wild goose chase, Mr. St. John and Mrs. Strobel voted to form a fire commission, instead of making a decision about replacing the pumper themselves.  They outsourced their duties to a group of uninformed, untrained, and politically motivated and appointed individuals to make decisions about lifesaving equipment for this community. Click Here.

The fire commission proved to be an enormous mistake. It did not expedite delivery of a new pumper, but rather was put into place by Mr. St. John and Mrs. Strobel to delay it.  In the meantime the cost of the apparatus was continually rising. In November of 2007 the voters rejected the Charter and a permanent fire commission, by voting it down by  almost a 2 to 1 ratio.  

To further delay the replacement plans, Mr. St. John hired a consultant for $9000.00 to study the Town’s apparatus needs.  This was a waste of taxpayer money since Mr. St. John was already well aware of the fact that apparatus needed to be replaced and indicated so in the 2003 meeting with the MVFD.

Early in 2008 the fire commission was dissolved and work was started to pass a Town Budget. The budget finally was voted on, which brings us to the present.  The MVFD is still attempting to replace a 27 year old fire engine, a project started in 2002.

Because of the inaction of the previous administration, Middlebury now has an aging fleet of fire apparatus.

Engine 2 27 years old

Engine 3 20 years old

Engine 4 21 years old

Engine 1 17 years old

Rescue 1 30 years old.

Here Is Where We Are Now:

When American LaFrance went Chapter 11, the MVFD went to the Department’s second choice with the same spec; Ferrara Fire Apparatus.

When the local sales representative priced the MVFD spec, the price of the engine came to $505,919.00, which was well above the American LaFrance price. This is the important part here. The National Sales Manager of Ferrara was aware of the LaFrance bid, and was also aware that the MVFD was chiefly an American LaFrance Department.  In an effort to break into Middlebury, and to increase Farrara’s presence in New England, he agreed to lower the price of the apparatus to $474,920.00.  That is a great deal of savings for the Town.   This price is good until December 1, 2008.

Sharp Price Increase Looming:

After December 1, 2008,  the company will increase their prices.  This would mean that the price of the engine will increase by another $20,000.

On January 1, 2009, NFPA 2009 goes into affect and there will be another price increase of $20,000.00 to $25,000.00.  

Not acting now will increase the apparatus price by January 1st 2009, by $40,000.00 to $45,000.00. Middlebury will get the same truck, but pay a whole lot more.

There is already $315,000.00 that has been set aside for purchasing this pumper.  The Taxpayers have already voted for these funds, and it does not affect anyone’s taxes.  There is $159,000.00 that must be raised to pay for the engine in full. It has been said that this remaining amount can be paid for our of unassigned funds that are already present in the current budget.

The clock is ticking and time is running out.  Forcing a referendum will further delay the process and bring the Town dangerously close to the December 1st deadline. Middlebury has a chance to close the deal on a project started in 2002.  

When the MVFD started to work with former First Selectman Ed St. John the price of the pumper was $360,000.00.  Because of the delay of the past administration, the pumper will cost approximately $114,000.00 more.

In an April 18th, 2005 poll, published on Firehouse.com, with 6827 respondents, only 6% of the responding departments owned a “First Out Engine” older than 20 years.

The apparatus in town is not getting any younger.  Further delays will exasperate the problem and will lead to steep tax increases down the road. In addition, ignoring the problem, increases the chance of equipment failure. Engine 3 has already failed once this year on its way to a call. If our apparatus fails at the moment it is needed the most, it becomes a safety issue, and a liability issue for the Town. Firefighter safety and the safety of our residents should be Middlebury’s number one priority.