The fire that destroyed five of the city’s automated sanitation trucks was not part of the plan, but it hasn’t deterred the administration from proceeding with a five-year schedule for the …
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The fire that destroyed five of the city’s automated sanitation trucks was not part of the plan, but it hasn’t deterred the administration from proceeding with a five-year schedule for the replacement of police, fire and public works vehicles.
The one wrinkle is that the city will need to increase projected annual lease-purchase agreements from $2 million to $3 million.
“It’s scrambled a bit because of the fire,” William DePasquale, acting chief of staff, said when asked where the city stood in terms of replacing aged vehicles in the department.
Last year DePasquale initiated an appraisal of the three fleets in an effort to develop a plan that provided for the replacement of vehicles without a sudden spike in expenses in a given budget year. He not only had departments list vehicles and their age and mileage, but also dug into service records, the cost of maintenance and how critical a role they played to the service they provided. He also looked into breakdown records, especially for higher-cost vehicles such as sanitation trucks that cost upwards of $250,000 and fire engines that are more than double that.
Apart from eliminating crisis purchases because a group of vehicles reach the end of expected life at the same time, DePasquale looked to evaluate department budget requests from a set of criteria making for comparisons rather than on the basis of public appeal or a whim.
Of course, the loss of five trucks simultaneously throws a wrench into a systemic plan for replacement. If there’s a silver lining to the sanitation truck fire, which is believed to have started with an electrical fire in one truck and spread to the others parked around it, is that the trucks were 2005 and 2006 models and close to the end of their projected life.
Three trucks of the same make and vintage were lost to fire last summer. That fire was traced to the battery box. The cause of the latest fire has termed “electrical.” Criminal action has been ruled out.
David Picozzi, director of public works, has asked for three new trucks, which he feels confident will be sufficient to augment the fleet of 14 trucks and allow to move three of the older trucks into reserve.
But questions have been raised whether the city is risking public safety by failing not to have a more aggressive program for the replacement for fire engines, rescues and ladder trucks.
Last July, William Lloyd, president of the Warwick Firefighters, addressed the council in front of a chamber packed with about 90 firefighters.
“We have rescue apparatus being towed from scenes, we have pumps failing our members as they enter homes, and we watch the six o’clock news, with our members being videotaped as a member of the public sits in a rescue truck for 45 minutes as it broke down and they had to wait for a mutual aid company from another community,” he said at the time. He called for “an effective repair and replacement plan.”
Lloyd’s presentation came as a surprise to the administration. Chief Edmund Armstrong said the department was adequately equipped to provide residents with the level of safety they should expect. Since then the city has stepped up its replacement of fire apparatus.
At the April 14 City Council meeting where the council approved the purchase of two additional fire engines, when interviewed Lloyd said there is a need to replace equipment on a regular schedule. He thought the plan is a step in the right direction.
Earlier that day, Mayor Scott Avedisian, Chief Armstrong, fire department personnel and members of the City Council gathered at Station 4 at the intersection of Sandy Lane and West Shore Road as a new Engine 4 was placed on the line. The Pierce engine cost $450,000 and replaces an engine that was 20 years old, said Assistant Fire Chief James McLaughlin. The engine has some custom features such as a hitch for the station’s boat and storage for dive equipment as well as “new technology,” said McLaughlin. McLaughlin said the department has nine engines, three ladders, a special hazards truck and four rescues in addition to vehicles driven by chiefs. In addition, the department has four reserve engines and three reserve rescues. The oldest online engines are Engine 5 that is a 1999 and Engine 9 that is a 2000.
The city has also moved on the replacement of police vehicles. Earlier this year, the council approved acquisition of 13 Ford Taurus Interceptors, which DePasquale said would be rolled into the city’s lease/purchase plan. He explained that the police cruisers that have been acquired and are in use were bought with funds from the city’s general fund. When the lease/purchase package is completed, those funds will flow back into the general fund and the city will be obligated to the lease payments. He projected those payments at $600,000 to $700,000 annually for periods of three or five years. The police cruisers, for example, would be on a three-year lease, while the fire equipment would be a five-year lease.
Mayor Scott Avedisian said yesterday that a $700,000 lease/purchase plan is included in his budget plan. He does not anticipate the amount would grow in future years as retiring debt would offset the lease/purchase of new vehicles.
DePasquale reasons lease/purchase is preferable to a direct purchase, which would limit the number of vehicles the city could replace annually. In addition, he notes, interest rates are low and packaging earns a preferred rate.
Critical is whether the city can afford the annual lease/purchase costs.
“Hopefully we can stay on a program like that and avoid the spikes,” DePasquale said.
So far, the five-year plan is getting a warm reception from Camille Vella-Wilkinson, chair of the City Council Finance Committee. She said last week she was considering legislation that would set aside 20 percent of each payment for a rescue run to be set-aside in a special account for the replacement of rescue vehicles. If an ongoing lease/purchase is implemented she doesn’t the need for her provision.
“I’m very much in favor of this,” she said of the five-year plan. “He [Depasquale] has talked to me about it.”
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The "lease purchase" acct is not even a line item in the city budget. The "lease purchase" account is a rogue, debt "slush fund" debt line item that is funded via tax revenue surplus, (just like the $800,000 dollars was that was the so-called "bonus" to city employees). Instead of fixing our roads, the Mayor chooses to dish out political pandering bonuses and instead have the tax payers borrow more money to pay back. The "lease purchase" debt total last year was $1,063, 833. Mayor Avedisian sits on the board of the RI Interlocal Trust. How much is the Trust chipping in for all of the destroyed city vehicles? The firefighters stressed failing apparatus months ago which in turn affected their ability to efficiently put out the Westgate Condo fire. Any accountability there? Warwick just lost a brand new rescue vehicle in an unfortunate road accident. How much is the InterLocal trust covering for that? A drunk driver smashed into one of our firetrucks. Interlock trust paying for that? Five more garbage trucks caught on fire and were destroyed. The same model garbage trucks burned 3 years ago. How could that have been prevented with the city's outstanding preventative maintenance program? How much is the Mayor's Trust fund going to pay there? What happens if the city loses more vehicles if we can't afford the lease purchase debt account today? The firefighters get "cadillac" quality taxpayer funded fire trucks but did they research more affordable, quality trucks? Have the grants pay for the "cadillac's" and the taxpayers pay for the more affordable models, but of course not, how dare the we even suggest it, our employers may be contacted. In the meantime Warwick citizens line up at city hall for hours with their vehicle damage claims in hand, seeking reimbursement as a result of hitting potholes lining the streets of Warwick. Five hundred vacant homes currently sprinkled throughout Warwick and 1500 homes to tax sale. Small businesses getting hassled by red tape bureaucracy and closing down due to the ever increasing taxes. Home owners desperately concerned about how they will pay their next water/sewer bill. The city doesn't even have the capability to clear sidewalks of snow but hopes to stay on an unaffordable slush funding program that avoids spending spikes. What about the $2.1 million more Warwick taxpayers will have to come up with this year to fund those pensions? Oh that's right, the new property tax assessments and resulting tax increases will justify that. Seventeen million dollar increase for city unfunded healthcare liabilities. Councilwoman Vella-Wilkinson along with the Warwick Retirement board has also just been found to be in major Open Meetings Act violations by the RI Attorney Generals office. Councilwoman Vella-Wilkinson also recently lead the way for a "bait and switch' at city hall that prevented the public from being able to ask questions of the Warwick city actuary, Joe Newton. The best "5 year plan" would be for the Warwick voters getting to the polls in 2016 and voting out this clearly incompetent Warwick leadership.
Thursday, April 30, 2015 Report this
Notbornyesterday
Stacia, everything in that last comment was utter BS. You really are the most despicable person in the city. The city did not lose a rescue truck. It has bumper/frontend damage and was fixed. They are not getting a Cadillac of fire trucks. Do some research. You can lob all,the crap,you want, at least educate yourself a tiny bit. The FD has used over 10 million in grants that our guys secured. You can't get free stuff all the time. You have zero idea about wear and tear on trucks. Sure buy a bottom line truck and replace it in five years or buy a decent (not a Cadillac) and replace it in 20. Once again the most negative person in our state. Please move away... Obviously to you there are better places to live.
Friday, May 1, 2015 Report this
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"born yesterday" --you are quite the suckling. Start attending some city council meetings and paying attention to reality or view the Warwick city council meetings on USTREAM and bring yourself up to speed on the facts.
Friday, May 1, 2015 Report this
Notbornyesterday
Screen name change again Stacia? I have viewed all the meetings Thanks. I have much more knowledge on the subject than you ever will trust me.
Friday, May 1, 2015 Report this