Quincy ladder truck purchase delayed

Government bidding regulations cited

QUINCY - Quincy's purchase of a new fire truck was delayed.

The city has saved about $600,000 during the last four years to pay for a new ladder truck.

The previous ladder truck failed to meet safety requirements.

The council was poised to purchase a demonstration model for $799,000, which after equipment and sales tax would have cost the city about $900,000. They would have taken money out of reserve funds to pay for the truck.

The benefits of the demonstration model include a warranty, an aluminum ladder and delivery of the truck, said Fire District No. 3's Fire Chief Don Fortier.

The purchase is being delayed due to the legal requirements for the bidding process, Quincy Mayor Jim Hemberry said. Since it is a new vehicle, even if it's a demonstration model, the city needs to seek bids.

"If it's a used vehicle you don't need to (go through the bidding process,)" Hemberry said. "I'm not sure if we can legally put money down (on the truck.)"

Fortier said he didn't know whether E-One Emergency, the company owning the truck, would wait for the process to finish up.

The city previously looked at used ladder trucks in Georgia and Oklahoma. Both had steel ladders, which are prone to rust inside the ladder, according to Fortier.

"There's really no way to tell (if the interior is rusted) until the steel breaks through," Fortier said. "We still have to train with it. Most of these (used ladder trucks) are in Oklahoma, Georgia, so they have been exposed to higher humidity."