The Verndale City Council agreed to allow the Verndale Fire Department to spend additional funds to purchase scene lights for the new pumper tanker truck.
The lights are around $700 each and will amount to around $1,500 to $2,000, said John Rousslang, a lieutenant with the fire department. The department has already spent $8,000 painting and outfitting the truck with hoses, nozzles and heaters.
"I think the lights are a must," said Mayor Wayne Stave, the Verndale fire chief.
It's a safety issue, he said. The truck is multi-use and is going to be utilized in different ways and in different situations than the old tanker, which just sat in one place and ran water. The pumper tanker replaces two outdated trucks.
If the truck is on scene without these lights firefighters will have to run extension cords to the other truck, Rousslang said. This creates tripping hazards.
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"It's going to be tougher to work around," he said.
The telescoping scene lights are 12-volt. They can turn them to where firefighters are working, Rousslang said.
Councilman Bruce Koppenhaver said if Rousslang and Stave agree it's a safety issue the city should do it.
Clerk Dawn Nelson said the additional funds will mean the city will have to borrow $90,000 instead of $88,000. The city had initially talked about having to borrow $100,000 for the truck.
The Verndale Fire Department Relief Association provided $42,000 towards the purchase of the truck, Nelson said. The city has $26,000 in its fire truck fund with an additional $8,000 budgeted for 2008.
The city is working on getting a 10-year lease purchase agreement, Nelson said. Star Bank in Verndale is preparing a proposal.
