Atwater council requests detailed prices for firetruck equipment

A request from fire officials for $80,000 of equipment to operate the city’s new firetruck was highly scrutinized during a City Council meeting this week, with the council ultimately deciding they need exact prices on each item.

In addition to providing a detailed price list, the council asked fire officials to identify the “top priority” items they need. A list of requested equipment released this week was more than four pages long, ranging from wrenches to hoses and nozzles. Officials also requested vehicle extraction equipment to use the firetruck in rescues.

“It’s a big chunk of change they are asking for,” Mayor Pro Tem Larry Bergman said during the meeting Monday. “I would like to see a prioritized, itemized list at the next meeting so we can take action at that time.”

In June, the City Council voted 3-2 to approve the $890,048 firetruck purchase; Councilmen Jeff and Joe Rivero cast the dissenting votes. The funding source for the truck was revenue from Measure H, the voter-approved special tax to support public safety.

But the push between two groups – one fighting to use Measure H funds for police and the other for fire – created a rift in city politics over the past year. Councilman James Vineyard publicly addressed what he believes is a competition between the city’s police and fire departments on Monday.

“This is about public safety. This cannot be about police versus fire,” Vineyard, a retired fire captain, said. “The Police Department is working as it is, so let’s not get into that right now. It’s not about one department or another.”

Mark Pimentel, battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, told the council the firetruck’s first lease payment of the year, along with the $80,000 in equipment, make up just 10 percent of total Measure H tax funds.

The rest of the money generated from the tax could be used to support police, he said.

“We understand the Police Department needs what they need, and we’re in full support of the Police Department,” Pimentel said Monday. “I just want you to know 10 percent is all we need this year.”

Atwater Police Chief Frank Pietro said his department plans to hire five more officers this year, with two positions funded by Measure H money. Officials anticipated Measure H revenue would reach $1.2 million by the end of last fiscal year.

Despite Vineyard’s remark, Councilman Brian Raymond said there isn’t a “competition” between the police and fire agencies for the tax money.

“Anyone who would think there is competition between the two departments is sadly mistaken. Both services are absolutely necessary,” Raymond said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “If we could, we would give them the world.”

Some Atwater residents say they weren’t told the firetruck would need additional equipment, costing more taxpayer dollars.

“Nobody stood up and said we are going to have to equip this truck when we paid almost a million dollars for the darn thing,” said Judy Bowling. “When it gets here, let it sit here until we get more money. I think we need to do more about police at this point. We’re going to lose one, and we’re going to feel awfully bad.”

One council member said Monday the firetruck equipment list can be pared down to save some money.

Councilman Joe Rivero said the list included a digital camera, ice chest and some tools that the department may already own, such as hammers.

“In the situation we’re in, do we really need a Sony digital camera for this truck? Don’t we have some existing hammers and toolboxes?” Rivero said. “I don’t want to see us just try to duplicate something that’s already there. That would be a tremendous waste of money.”

Fire officials are expected to bring a detailed price list to the next City Council meeting on Feb. 9.

This story was originally published January 13, 2015 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Atwater council requests detailed prices for firetruck equipment."