43
New fire engine, expansion of station planned in Poland
POLAND
The Western Reserve Joint Fire District is moving forward on its promise to spend revenue from a 1-mill additional levy approved by voters last May on capital improvements.
Fire Chief David Comstock Jr. said the fire board is moving forward to replace a 1983 fire engine. The district’s board reviewed three engines at costs of $414,000, $480,000 and $550,000 and chose the $414,000 Saber model from Pierce Manufacturing, the chief said.
The 1983 engine had problems with wear-and-tear, and “it also has an open cab, which is not safety-standard compliant today. Firefighters are supposed to be in enclosed cabs. That’s another reason to replace it,” Comstock said.
The 1-mill levy, approved by 16 votes, is generating about $340,000 annually — slightly less than the $350,000 that was anticipated — and the district is looking at financing options to make up the difference for the engine, the chief said.
“One option is to wait about two years and have the money at hand and then wait four years for [other improvements.] We prefer to start the projects now and then just pay the money back. With governments, the money is pretty cheap to borrow,” Comstock said.
It will take about eight months for the engine to arrive once it is ordered, he added.
Poland Township Trustee Eric Ungaro is a member of the fire district board, which includes village and township officials, and said it’s important to invest in equipment.
“Those engines have run their cycle. Sometimes you start to put more money into it than it’s worth. And it’s all about safety. ... You can’t have something malfunction during a major crisis,” Ungaro said.
Comstock said the district is continuing plans to expand Station 92 on state Route 170, thanks to the influx of levy money.
“When you ask voters to approve levies, you have to continue to maintain voter trust and the greatest way to do that is to deliver on the promises you’ve made when you ask voters,” Comstock said.
“We told them we would use it right off the bat to replace an engine and to expand one of our stations. So those are our first two priorities and for good or bad, those will take at least three years’ worth of our levy money,” he added.