OCONTO FALLS – The Oconto Falls City Council is managing a balancing act as it weighs how to deal with an aging fire truck that is increasingly unreliable while the city’s finances remain under strain.
The discussion at the Jan. 12 council meeting highlighted both the operational urgency for the fire department and the broader question of what taxpayers can reasonably afford.
The city’s 1995 fire engine is at the center of the issue. The vehicle can still transport firefighters and equipment to emergency scenes, but its pump and related plumbing systems are deteriorating. The department is already limiting how the truck is used because its pumping capacity is no longer reliable enough for full operations.
Technical concerns about corrosion, aging steel components and the need to disassemble large portions of the vehicle to reach the failing parts make simple repairs unlikely.
Estimates presented to the council suggest that a full refurbishment of the 1995 truck would cost in the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Several council members and city staff raised concerns about investing that level of money into a truck that is more than 30 years old.
The general sentiment was that such a large outlay on a vehicle already near the end of its expected service life would not be a responsible use of limited resources.
At the same time, council members acknowledged that doing nothing is not a realistic long-term option, since the department needs a reliable apparatus to respond to fires and other emergencies within city limits as well as events occurring under existing contracts with surrounding townships.
As an alternative to refurbishment, the fire department has been actively researching used fire trucks.
Two specific options have been under informal review — a 2005 Spartan chassis truck previously used in Suamico and a Pierce engine currently for sale in Egg Harbor.
The Egg Harbor truck is considered particularly attractive from an operational standpoint because it is laid out in a way that closely matches the city’s existing Pierce trucks; a similar configuration would reduce training time and improve safety, since firefighters are already familiar with that style of controls and pump panel.
However, the used truck market presents its own challenges.
Recent sales of comparable vehicles have landed in a broad range, frequently between about $40,000 and $60,000. In addition, staff noted that at least one candidate truck would require around $10,000 in immediate work just to meet Department of Transportation and safety standards.
The risk of purchasing another community’s aging apparatus and inheriting hidden problems was also raised.
Overhanging all these technical and operational considerations is the reality of the city’s tight budget.
The treasurer explained that borrowing roughly $450,000 for a combination of truck purchase and refurbishment would push the city’s tax rate up by more than 2%.
This would come immediately after recent increases that many residents have already found difficult to absorb.
Council members expressed serious hesitation about taking on that level of new debt without direct voter approval.
The idea of a referendum was discussed to let taxpayers decide whether they are willing to fund a full-scale truck project.
However, staff cautioned that referendums bring their own costs and complexities.
Legal review of ballot language, coordination with the county and state and public information efforts would all require time and money.
There is also no guarantee a referendum would pass in the current climate, which could leave the city with additional expenses but no solution.
Given these constraints, the conversation gradually shifted toward a potential middle ground. The fire department has approximately $16,000 in a dedicated equipment reserve from previous equipment sales.
Some council members suggested that if the city could sell the existing 1995 truck for around $15,000 to $20,000, it might be able to assemble roughly thirty thousand dollars in cash for a lower cost used engine.
Any necessary upgrades to that unit could potentially be supported in part by the Friends of the Fire Department, a volunteer group that already helps fund specialized equipment and training.
Another option discussed was modest borrowing of about $50,000 over a 10-year term.
Early estimates indicated annual payments in the ballpark of $6,000 — an amount that might be absorbed within the operating budget more easily than a much larger loan.
For now, no formal action has been taken.
The council ended the discussion by acknowledging that the city cannot comfortably afford a large capital purchase at this time, but also recognizing that prolonged reliance on an aging and compromised fire truck is not sustainable.
Staff will continue to monitor the used apparatus market, refine cost estimates and explore partnerships and fundraising opportunities as the city searches for a workable path forward on this critical public safety issue.
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