CAZENOVIA — On Sept. 6, the Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees approved the purchase of a new ladder truck for the Cazenovia Fire Department.
According to Fire Chief Shain Emerson, who was present at the board meeting, his department has spent months working with manufacturers to replicate the department’s current 1999 ladder truck.
The price of the new truck is $1,555,970.
“For reference, that’s a little over $600,000 in inflation since 1999 when we purchased the one we have now,” said Emerson.
The chief also stated that if the purchase was not approved that night, the price of the truck would increase by $52,000 in about a week’s time.
According to Village Mayor Kurt Wheeler, the new truck will be delivered at the beginning of the fiscal year 2024, at which time the village will start making payments.
“The good news is that it gives us another year and a half to accumulate more funds in the capital reserve fund,” said Wheeler. “[In our] present plan, we’ll have enough money in the capital reserve fund to pay for this, so we won’t have to bond for it, but it’s been a heavy lift.”
Wheeler added that although the truck costs a large sum of money, it is a very important piece of equipment.
Once the village has declared the 1999 ladder truck surplus, the apparatus will be put up for auction, likely through Auctions International.
“Whatever comes in from that will go back into the capital reserve fund for the next piece of equipment,” said Wheeler.
In other news
The board also set a public hearing for Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. to receive input on a potential grant to improve two parcels within the village — 99 Albany St. (the former Napa store) and 103 Albany St. (former gas station).
Lauren Lines, executive director of the Cazenovia Area Community Development Association, informed the board that she is in the process of applying for funding through the Restore New York grant program, which encourages community development and neighborhood growth through the elimination and redevelopment of blighted structures.
“The village can apply for funds to redevelop a vacant or abandoned property and then subgrant the money to a developer to redevelop the property,” said Lines.
Lines added that she and Wheeler met with a local developer who currently has a contract on the property (99 and 103 Albany St.)
“It seems to be moving forward,” Lines said. “He has an architect on board creating a conceptual plan that we will need for the Oct. 11 deadline.”
According to Lines, a public hearing is another requirement of the grant application. The planning board will also need to issue a letter stating that the developer’s plan is consistent with village ordinances.
The Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees typically meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Village Municipal Building, 90 Albany St.
