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Consideration of request by the Fire Department to accept early delivery of an aerial ladder truck and reallocate funds from the 2027 capital budget to the 2026 capital budget
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Submitted by:
Jim Case, Fire Chief
Department:
Fire Department
A. Issue
To mitigate long vendor delivery times for fire apparatus, WFD placed an order for a 2027 aerial ladder truck. The manufacturer has recently notified us that, due to production efficiencies, the apparatus is now scheduled for completion and delivery in late 2026 rather than 2027.
B. Background/Options
Current industry-wide lead times for fire apparatus orders frequently exceed 24-36 months. To ensure replacement vehicles arrive in the fiscal year for which they are budgeted, the WFD has placed orders in advance of the intended delivery year. Recent pressure from the fire service and regulatory agencies has prompted manufacturers to reduce the production process and build times. As a result, our 2027 aerial ladder truck order has been accelerated and is now expected in late 2026.
To accept this earlier delivery, we respectfully request committee approval to transfer the appropriate funds from the 2027 capital budget to the 2026 capital budget.
C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)
Priority 2: Public Safety
Early delivery and receipt of this critical apparatus will enhance operational readiness and ensure uninterrupted aerial capability for the community.
D. Fiscal Impact
This is a replacement apparatus. Funds are already identified and reserved in the 2027 capital budget. This proposed transfer aligns the expenditure with the revised delivery schedule.
E. Recommendation
Request approval for the Fire Department accept the early delivery of the aerial ladder truck in 2026 and a level 3 fund transfer to increase expenditures in the capital budget to be funded with bond proceeds reallocated from 2027.