Wayne Stave, Verndale mayor and fire chief, asked city officials to consider whether the city should sell the old tanker truck or keep it to use for city projects.
"I know the city uses it quite a bit," he said. "Maybe it's an asset we should hang on to."
Maintenance Supervisor Jim Bergquist said the city uses it at least twice a year to clean the sewer lines. The city has also used the tanker when planting trees at the cemetery.
The city recently purchased a pumper tanker fire truck to replace the fire department's outdated pumper and tanker trucks.
If the city decides to keep the tanker truck it will have to make sure it is kept drained, Stave said.
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"It leaks bad," he said.
The fire department had to keep the truck full, but it would down by a third to a half a tank when it was checked month to month, Stave said. If the city uses the truck it would be filled, used and drained.
Keeping the tanker would mean paying insurance on another vehicle, he said. The city has been paying insurance on two vehicles. The new truck replaced two trucks.
Councilman Bruce Koppenhaver said the council needs to know what the cost to the city is to keep the tanker and what is the cost of an alternative. He asked Stave when the city needs to decide.
The city doesn't need to decide soon, Stave said. Old trucks are normally sold at the fire department's auction in April.
"It's no rush," Stave said. "I just want to bring it up so the council can think about it."
Bergquist can also have time to decide what he thinks and to discuss it with the street committee, Stave said.
