Council deadlocks over fire truck

By Staff
City may be forced to rebid second project this year
By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
May 5, 2004
Meridian Fire Department officials say they need a new fire truck and that the delay in getting one could threaten homeowners' insurance policies.
Deputy Fire Chief Sammy Foy said, in order for the city to maintain its Class 4 fire rating, a 21-year-old truck needs to be replaced. He recommended a $400,000 replacement Tuesday at a meeting of the Meridian City Council.
But, Ward 2 Councilman Barbara Henson was out of town on vacation, and the council deadlocked 2-2 on the vote to purchase the new truck.
The problem: A dispute over two bids, one from Empire American LaFrance Emergency Vehicles and the other from Pierce Manufacturing Inc.'s Pro-fire Equipment LLC.
American LaFrance was the low bidder by about $22,000. But MFD officials recommended the Pierce Manufacturing truck because it meets what they called critical specifications and is safer.
Ward 5's Bobby Smith and Ward 4's Jesse E. Palmer Sr. voted against the proposal. Smith said he voted against Pierce because the American LaFrance bid was $22,000 lower. Palmer voted against it after his motion to delay the vote until the next meeting failed.
Foy said the delay in buying a new truck will affect the MFD's ability to do its job. He said the Pierce truck is safer because it has the technology to stop quicker than the American LaFrance truck.
If the city has to solicit new bids on the project, it would be the latest in a round of projects delayed because of the bidding problems.
In March, councilmen voted in a special meeting to re-bid a water/sewer project tied to the new Interstate 20/59 Industrial Park after they learned the engineering firm they hired to design the project made an error in a deadline for the last bids. Local economic developers said the delays were costly to recruitment of potential tenants of the park.