Crime & Safety
Board Approves $658K Fire Apparatus Purchase
The custom, stainless steel 2000 GPM Pumper purchase will be bonded.
The Garden City board of trustees unanimously approved the purchase of a 2000 GPM (Gallons Per Minute) pumper truck for the Garden City Fire Department at a cost of $657,981.
The price includes a trade-in value of $15,000 for a 1991 RD Murray 1500 GPM Pumper. The purchase will be bonded.
The village invited 10 vendors to bid but received only one. The bid was awarded to Neville Fire Apparatus Corporation of New Hyde Park.
Steve Ilardi of Meadow Street questioned why the village receives so few bids.
"We send out multiple bids and it seems quite a few times we only get one answer back," he said. "It doesn't seem like you're really getting a good idea of what the cost is by getting one bid and receiving one bid.
"It seems like a $122,000 increase, which is about 23 percent, in five years seems a little steep," he added, referring to the last bid award back in 2008 for a fire apparatus purchase totaling $535,204.
"It's been a challenge to say the least," Mayor John Watras said.
The department can expect delivery in 10-13 months, according to village clerk Brian Ridgway.
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