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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 12-4-84 PAGE 3 C. 1985 Grass Rig Capital Outlay Pott indicated that the Fire Department is ready to move forward with the grass rig that has been in the capital plan for some time. The grass rig would replace the existing 1963 Scout that is now being used for grass fires. The new rig would be a one ton, four wheel drive pickup with a pump, tank and hose as a separate unit in the bed of the truck. The tank would hold approximately 200 gallons of water as opposed to the 100 gallon tank that is on the Scout. Pott feels that the appropriate way to buy this grass rig is in two parts. The pickup with radio, lights, siren; and then the slide -in unit for the bed of the truck. The Fire Department is proposing to put the specs together for review by the City Engineer and City Administrator. Bids would then be requested for the truck, and immediately after that, proceed with the slide -in unit. Pott sugggested that the Fire Department keep the Scout for one year because he is unsure of the Capital Improvement Plan for the Fire Department. The Fire Department's CIP will be reviewed with the Council's Capital Improvement Committee shortly after the first of the year. The lights, radio, siren and tank on the Scout may have some value, but estimates the value of the Scout to be $500 to $600. $20,000 is in the Capital Improvement Plan for this purchase and Pott estimates the actual cost will be approximately $17,500. Bruce Kuettner, 9130 Jamaca Court North stated that plans in the CIP was for a tanker, not a grass rig. He also asked what the need is in Lake Elmo for new equipmnet, specifically a grass rig. How much will it be used, and is the old truck that dilapidated that it can't be used? The City just spent $1000 for new tires, painting, etc., for the Scout. Pott stated that good money has been spent on maintenance, but this is done with all of the vehicles. We are in a situation where we have several old vehicles, and we have to come up with some kind of a plan to upgrade the fleet. There have been two plans - one showing the tanker being purchased first, and the other showing the grass rig being purchased first. It is the feeling of the Fire Department that the grass rig would be most useful. Besides being used for grass fires (and it is the only unit that the Fire Department can get off the road with), it is also used as a utility vehicle. Kuettner stated he has a hard time seeing the relative put down of the old Scout when it is only used along the railroad tracks. If you start getting into the bigger vehicles, you will become less effective. To his recollection, the Scout was only used three or four times a year for fires, and it does a good job along the railroad tracks. Morgan stated that because a great deal of the land in Lake Elmo is rural, and with the parks where you cannot get in without a four wheel drive, the need for a reliable off the road vehicle is obviously greater than the need for an on the road vehicle.