$4.5M Fire Truck, Hydrant Plan Submitted

The Elicker Administration is looking to spend $4.5 million in federal pandemic-relief aid on new fire trucks, new police department SUVs, and comprehensive repairs to the city’s aging fire hydrants.

That latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending pitch is detailed in a Nov. 2 proposal submitted by City Budget Director Michael Gormany to the Board of Alders. That legislative spending plan is included as a communication on the agenda for Thursday’s full Board of Alders meeting.

Click here, here, and here to read more.

If approved by the city legislature, the proposal would see the Elicker Administration spend $3.7 million on two new fire engines and one new fire truck, $400,000 on fire hydrant replacements and repairs, and $400,000 on new police department vehicles for district managers, patrol sergeants, and specialized units like the Bureau of Identification.

“The funds from the American Rescue Plan Act will allow the City to repair/replace fire hydrants and help replace the Fire and Police department’s aging fleet,” Gormany wrote in a Nov. 2 letter to the Board of Alders in support of the proposal. ​“The planned purchase of the public safety vehicles qualifies as a public health emergency response expenditure under ARPA guidelines.”

This $4.5 million ARPA pitch marks just the latest proposal by the mayor on how to spend a chunk of the one-time $115 million in federal pandemic-relief funds coming to the city.

The alders have already signed off on spending $53 million in ARPA aid on a mix of housing, vocational technical education, youth engagement, business support, and climate resiliency initiatives, and an additional $43 million on everything from police department surveillance cameras to expanded youth employment programs to a new Department of Community Resilience to budget mitigation efforts for funds lost during the height of the pandemic. (Click here, here, here and here for articles about those initiatives.)

According to the city’s latest monthly financial report, as of Oct. 28, more than $80 million out of that $96 million in alder-approved and allocated ARPA funds remain unspent so far.

This latest $4.5 million spending proposal, meanwhile, now advances to an aldermanic committee for a public hearing and review before returning to the full Board of Alders for a final debate and vote.

$3.7M For Fire Engine, Trucks; $400K For Hyrdants; $400K For SUVs

In his Nov. 2 letter to the alders, Gormany wrote that the police department is requesting the purchase of new SUVs ​“to replace the aging fleet. The New Haven Police Department has dozens of SUVs that are older and/or with 100,000+ miles. The 24/7/365 operation places a heavy demand on all police vehicles and it’s imperative for officer and public safety that officers respond to calls, incidents, and assignments in safe vehicles.”

Gormany wrote that $400,000 out of this $4.5 million tranche ​“may be used to purchase SUVs to fill various vehicle needs at the police department, including but not limited to, district manager vehicles, patrol sergeant shift supervisors, and specialized units such as the Bureau of Identification. As these new vehicles are added to the fleet, the Police Department will assess the entire needs of the fleet to see which vehicles need to be removed completely and which can be re-purposed for other assignments. The Police Department prioritizes vehicles purchases for Patrol where they are driven through the community 24 hours a day.”

Roughly $3.7 million of this latest ARPA tranche would be spent on buying two new fire engines and one new fire truck, Gormany wrote. 

“As the Fire services has seen with all things in production and purchase, there is a need to order equipment early,” he wrote. ​“Firstly, due to the fact suppliers have delays in parts and manufacturing which have now created a production time of 24 months for Fire Engines and 30+ months on fire trucks.”

He said that this ​“national situation” has caused many departments to place ​“so many orders there is now a waiting list in production.”

And, Gormany continued, ​“the longer the City waits to place orders the costs increase, and larger departments are given preference due to the size and scope of their orders.”

Gormany wrote that the city has spoken with the three largest manufacturers of these types of vehicles, and has determined that fire engines cost around $850,000 each and trucks cost around $2 million each.

Finally, the city is asking for $400,000 in ARPA aid to spend on fire hydrant repairs. 

“In the area of fire hydrants, the Fire Service currently has just over 100 of our approximately 2,134 hydrants out of service,” Gormany wrote. ​“Fire Services has the need to purchase complete hydrants and parts to make replacements and repairs. In addition, there are some our shop cannot repair or replace and must request this service from the Regional Water Authority. These costs range from $3,000.00 to $7,000.00. The City is requesting $400,000.00 to start short term project of repairing and replacing hydrants in our critical areas.”