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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Laura Linehan, Assistant City Administrator <br /> Sam Magureanu, Finance Director <br /> <br />DATE: September 10, 2025 <br /> <br />RE: Accept a donation from the Little Canada Fire Department <br /> <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />A motion to accept a donation from the Little Canada Fire Department to the city’s fund 457 <br />(Fire Fund) in the amount of $356,181.00 for the purchase of a new Fire Engine for the <br />replacement of Engine 218 from MacQueen Equipment, LLC. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The City Council is considering the purchase of the new Fire Engine at the September 10 City <br />Council meeting for a total cost of $1,331,640. Should the purchase be approved, the truck <br />replacement will be funded from the Capital Fund (457). The Fund balance at the end of 2024 <br />was $1,503,146. <br /> <br />DONATION ACCEPTANCE: <br />State Statute requires a local government unit to accept all monetary and non-monetary <br />donations officially. <br /> <br />The Little Canada Fire Department (LCFD) conducts charitable gambling in the city. As outlined <br />above, the LCFD has generously donated to the city’s Fund 457 in the past, totaling $679,107.28 <br />to this fund over the past five years. Including the $356,181 presented this evening, the total <br />donated amount exceeds one million dollars, at $1,035,288.28. <br /> <br />Based on continued success in charitable gambling and ongoing support for the Little Canada <br />community, the LCFD is donating 25% of the total cost for the new Fire Engine, totaling <br />$356,181.00. This donation will enable savings and ensure delivery in late 2029 or early 2030. <br />This also allows the city to avoid additional cost escalations. <br /> <br />This donation and the historical donations from LCFD have been crucial in supporting the <br />purchase of city fire equipment without placing an additional burden on taxpayers. As an <br />example, currently approximately $49,000 represents 1% of the city’s tax levy. Without current <br />and historical LCFD donations, additional funds would have been historically levied or captured <br />from other city funding sources to support equipment purchases for the city’s fire infrastructure. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Pursuant to State Statute, staff is recommending acceptance of the donation to the city’s fund 457 <br />(Fire Fund) from the Little Canada Fire Department for $356,181.00 for the purchase of a new <br />Fire Engine for the replacement of Engine 218 from MacQueen Equipment, LLC.