Nov. 9, 2009
Proposed Fire Truck Purchases Have Council Scrambling on Procedures and Policies
Intent May be Well Meant, but…
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Prior to the Monday night November 9 meeting of Huntington City Council at 7:30 p.m., a special meeting of the Finance Committee has been set for 6 p.m.
The issues --- the Huntington Fire Department wants to purchase two new trucks. They would not be delivered until December 2010. By placing the order(s) now, the city would save nearly half a million dollars over the life of the trucks due to EPA regulations that take effect January 1, 2010.
The problem --- the city’s budget committee won’t recommend purchases basked in part by CDBG funds until April 2010 and the request to appropriate money prior to the March budget session for the next fiscal year does not have a precedent.
As a result, procedural and fiscal gurus are scrambling to determine whether the “red tape” should trump a sizeable revenue savings. And, if the savings prudent, how can it be justified as following committee and rules of council?
Following the Friday work session, at large councilman Steve Williams scheduled a Finance Committee session to sort out the issues.
One truck would be for the downtown Centennial station; an Ariel unit would be for the Marshall University 20th Street station.
“Whatever the equipment is, they are proposing a new policy --- spend money before it has been appropriated,” Williams told HNN.
However, Williams’ finance committee will only discuss the concept regarding the pumper truck. The Fire Department and Director of Development and Planning Bill Holley had already met with the economic development committee chaired by Insco regarding the ariel truck which had told them to bring the proposal back in April.
“You’re trying to circumvent the committee process,” Insco scolded.
Holley said, “I do not recall being told not to proceed.”
Deputy Fire Chief Tony Hazlet (who was the interim chief at the time of the presentation) told council, “I was under the impression this would be at the head of the list.”
Brandi Jacob-Jones called this an “oversight” (in terms of the proposal timing) outweighed by “public safety and fiscal responsibility,” adding that due to the age of the current vehicles the decision itself could mean “lives are at stake.”
Councilman Nate Randolph searched for a compromise at the work session on cutting procedural red tape to allocate funds now so as to save half a million dollars. In fact, he again seemed hopeful at the ViP Party prior to the local Dancing with the Stars that a solution could be found to obtain both trucks at the outlined savings.
Contacted by phone Sunday evening, Insco stuck to the Friday work session decision regarding the proposed C.D.B.G. funded truck. The pumper would be paid for from fire levy funds that flow into the general fund. A truck will be paid off prior to delivery of the pumper proposal, so, this one does not involve reliance upon federal grant funding.
However, Williams eloquently lamented, “it belies logic that we haven’t had a conversation before the request to put it on the agenda. It takes all of us, not just those on the other side of the hall.”
HNN stated to Williams after the finance committee meeting had been scheduled that it my “act” on the one truck, but the councilman placed a damper on that amount of optimism.
“We are going to discuss this, [particularly] the power to commit monies in advance of their appropriation. That is a distinct policy departure and we need to discuss it,” Williams said.
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Proposed Fire Truck Purchases Have Council Scrambling on Procedures and Policies
Intent May be Well Meant, but…
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Prior to the Monday night November 9 meeting of Huntington City Council at 7:30 p.m., a special meeting of the Finance Committee has been set for 6 p.m.
The issues --- the Huntington Fire Department wants to purchase two new trucks. They would not be delivered until December 2010. By placing the order(s) now, the city would save nearly half a million dollars over the life of the trucks due to EPA regulations that take effect January 1, 2010.
The problem --- the city’s budget committee won’t recommend purchases basked in part by CDBG funds until April 2010 and the request to appropriate money prior to the March budget session for the next fiscal year does not have a precedent.
As a result, procedural and fiscal gurus are scrambling to determine whether the “red tape” should trump a sizeable revenue savings. And, if the savings prudent, how can it be justified as following committee and rules of council?
Following the Friday work session, at large councilman Steve Williams scheduled a Finance Committee session to sort out the issues.
One truck would be for the downtown Centennial station; an Ariel unit would be for the Marshall University 20th Street station.
“Whatever the equipment is, they are proposing a new policy --- spend money before it has been appropriated,” Williams told HNN.
However, Williams’ finance committee will only discuss the concept regarding the pumper truck. The Fire Department and Director of Development and Planning Bill Holley had already met with the economic development committee chaired by Insco regarding the ariel truck which had told them to bring the proposal back in April.
“You’re trying to circumvent the committee process,” Insco scolded.
Holley said, “I do not recall being told not to proceed.”
Deputy Fire Chief Tony Hazlet (who was the interim chief at the time of the presentation) told council, “I was under the impression this would be at the head of the list.”
Brandi Jacob-Jones called this an “oversight” (in terms of the proposal timing) outweighed by “public safety and fiscal responsibility,” adding that due to the age of the current vehicles the decision itself could mean “lives are at stake.”
Councilman Nate Randolph searched for a compromise at the work session on cutting procedural red tape to allocate funds now so as to save half a million dollars. In fact, he again seemed hopeful at the ViP Party prior to the local Dancing with the Stars that a solution could be found to obtain both trucks at the outlined savings.
Contacted by phone Sunday evening, Insco stuck to the Friday work session decision regarding the proposed C.D.B.G. funded truck. The pumper would be paid for from fire levy funds that flow into the general fund. A truck will be paid off prior to delivery of the pumper proposal, so, this one does not involve reliance upon federal grant funding.
However, Williams eloquently lamented, “it belies logic that we haven’t had a conversation before the request to put it on the agenda. It takes all of us, not just those on the other side of the hall.”
HNN stated to Williams after the finance committee meeting had been scheduled that it my “act” on the one truck, but the councilman placed a damper on that amount of optimism.
“We are going to discuss this, [particularly] the power to commit monies in advance of their appropriation. That is a distinct policy departure and we need to discuss it,” Williams said.
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
