Politics & Government

Capital Needs Plan May Settle Fire District Issue

A five-year, $1.435 million plan was discussed at Monday's Borough Council meeting.

A five-year, $1.435 million capital needs plan for the Freehold Borough Fire Department may put the brakes on the department’s push for the creation of a fire district in the municipality. The Freehold Borough Council discussed the plan at Monday’s workshop meeting at Borough Hall, with Fire Chief Ryan Bailey and Fire Department President Hank Stryker in attendance.

The capital needs plan calls for the purchase of $1.15 million ladder truck, with an estimated $600,000 of that coming from a grant the department anticipates receiving. The plan also includes $45,000 for a self-contained breathing compressor system to fill firefighters’ air packs. The current system is 35 years old; a newer device would allow the department to fill 10 to 12 more air packs and provide a longer air supply at the scene of a fire, Bailey said.

In addition, the borough would purchase 12 radios in 2011 and 12 in 2012 for $24,000. The cost of large and small thermal imaging camera used to detect hot spots would run $62,000 and be spaced out over four years. Air packs would be replaced at the rate of four per year from 2012 to 2015 for $112,000. The department also requested the replacement of a Monmouth Hose Company fire truck in 2014 for $550,000 and a fire chief’s vehicle in 2016 for $60,000.

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Improvements to the firehouse include $16,000 in 2011 to replace ceiling tiles and lights and $16,000 in 2012 to renovate the basement kitchen.

The department and the borough arrived at the five-year plan after Mayor Michael Wilson met with fire officials to discuss their needs.

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“I had two very productive meetings with the fire department. They were very explicit, very spot on with the assessments they gave on their needs, not only this year, but through 2016. These are monies that I firmly believe are justifiable for a volunteer freehold fire department,” Wilson said.

Wilson asked for a straw poll from the governing body on the capital needs plan and council members unanimously indicated their support.

“I would like to ask the fire chief and the president to take this information back to the fire department,” Wilson said. It’s my hope that with what we’ve accomplished (with the plan) that this will negate the need for the fire department to pursue a fire district. My hope is that after you meet, the governing body will receive a note from the department withdrawing the request for fire district.”

Stryker said the capital needs plan would be brought before the department’s firefighters, and they would discuss their plans regarding the fire district request.


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