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Dissenting vote stops sale of 1994 city fire truck in Ogdensburg

Posted 8/9/22

BY JIMMY LAWTON North Country This Week OGDENSBURG — Plans to sell an out-of-service Ogdensburg fire truck failed in a 3-1 vote. The 1994 Quint fire truck was sold at an Aug. 4 auction for $7,100. …

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Dissenting vote stops sale of 1994 city fire truck in Ogdensburg

Posted

BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — Plans to sell an out-of-service Ogdensburg fire truck failed in a 3-1 vote.

The 1994 Quint fire truck was sold at an Aug. 4 auction for $7,100.

Voting against the bid was Councilor Nichole Kennedy who said, in speaking with others, she believed the bid was too low.

Because only councilors Steven Fisher, John Rishe, Kennedy and Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly were present the measure failed with only one dissenting vote.

She asked the city manager if they had considered going through a truck broker to try to obtain a better price.

City Manager Stephen Jellie said all options were explored but the truck was put out to bid because it was the best practice. He noted that Watertown recently sold a defunct fire truck at bid.

Kennedy also asked if the truck could possibly be used as a backup.

Jellie said it could not. He said the truck was out of service and questioned Kennedy as to why she would vote no.

He said the truck would now sit on a lot and continue to lose value. He also said looking into other ways to get rid of the truck would be a poor use of staff time. Something he continually says is lacking.

Ogdensburg replaced the old fire truck thanks to a grant from the state's financial restructuring board.

The truck came in at just under $1 million and is a hybrid pumper and ladder truck. It is a single axle unit that City Manager Stephen Jellie says is more nimble than the older model currently being used by the department.

Councilors Nichole Kennedy and Michael Powers questioned related to the purchase and about other options at that time.

Some of the concerns were related to the fact that the truck was a demo model and had some miles on it, but Jellie said he believed the mileage was under 2,000 and that it had not been seen as extraneous use.

Nearly all things related to the fire department have been controversial in city council votes as the city is currently set to go to arbitration over violations of the city’s contract with the union.