The West Salem area may soon have a new fire truck, but it won’t come cheap.
The West Salem Fire Protection District board has been discussing buying a pumper truck at a cost of $1,054,000, to replace the fire department’s current pumper truck that is more than 30 years old.
The truck would come with attached with a 110-foot ladder.
The WSFPD provides fire services for the village of West Salem and the towns of Hamilton and Barre. All three municipalities would need to get on board with the purchase in order for it to happen.
Using a five-year average of each municipalities’ equalized value, the truck would cost West Salem about $492,000, or 52 percent of the truck’s cost, while it would cost Hamilton approximately $318,000, or 33.5 percent, and Barre $138,000, or 14.5 percent.
Hamilton town board chairman Blaine Lee, who also services on the WSFD board, said it’s time for the truck—which has needed numerous repairs in recent years—to be replaced.