FREEPORT

Freeport Fire/Rescue is looking for $750,000 to replace a nearly 30-year-old fire engine.

Engine No. 3, a 1988 Grumman Fire Cat pumper, has just under 44,000 miles of service. However, the vehicle has a life span of only 20 years and had been scheduled to be replaced in 2009.

Deputy Chief Paul Conley said Engine 3 serves as a reserve pumper and helps provide a water source in rural areas.

The vehicle is about seven years past its expected life span. Six years ago, the vehicle was refurbished in order to extend its life and bring it into safety compliance at a cost of about $56,000, said Conley.

Putting off buying a new vehicle in favor of another refurbishment isn’t feasible.

“We’ve got a 27-year-old truck,” Conley said. “It has gone beyond the national standard. Apparatus replacement is typically 20 years.”

As the truck ages, replacement parts become less available, said Conley, who added that he didn’t want to see a mechanical problem pop up in the middle of an emergency.

“You want a high degree of reliability,” he said.

Conley said the department will be issuing request for proposals relatively soon.

The department is also requesting $196,000 for a new ambulance.

Freeport has five ambulances — four that are active and an additional vehicle in reserve. One ambulance has been out of service with engine problems.

Conley said the department wants to consolidate the number of vehicles down to a total of four with the purchase of the new ambulance.

The request for the new engine and ambulance comes as part of more than $2.4 million in requested capital improvement projects for the next fiscal year alone.

The fiscal year 2016 capital projects request is within $1,000 of the previous year’s amount, said Town Manager Peter Joseph.

Included in the 2016 request is $430,000 to rebuild Litchfield Road.

Joseph noted that there’s “nothing out of the ordinary” in terms of work that must be done on the road.

“It’s regular wear and tear. They’ve got some potholes, alligator cracking and frost heaves,” Joseph said.

Joseph said the road ought to be addressed before additional wear makes repairs more expensive.

There is also a request for $150,000 in additional funds to close the municipal landfill.

About two-thirds of the landfill was closed more than 10 years ago, said Joseph. A section has remained open that accepts inert demolition debris, such as drywall, wood, and plumbing fixtures.

“This will be the final closure of the municipal landfill,” said Joseph.

Closing the landfill completely ought to result in $17,000 in savings for the town next year, according to Joseph.

Other big ticket capital items include $213,000 for a new dump truck and two new police cruisers at $34,000 each.

Capital items are non-routine purchases with a depreciable life of more than a year and are usually worth between $5,000 and $10,000.

Some funding would come from the town’s reserve fund and other areas.

Different departments will be bringing their requests to the town council in the weeks ahead, according to Town Council Chairwoman Melanie Sachs.

Starting March 17, the council will be meeting with department heads regarding their individual requests.

“I wouldn’t say there’s anything super-controversial” regarding this year’s requests, said Sachs, adding that the council would likely be taking a very close look at the request for the new fire engine.

All requests would be looked at with “a fine-tooth comb,” said Sachs.

Also up for discussion in the coming weeks will be the town’s five-year capital projects plan.

A hearing on the capital program will take place April 7. The plan may be adopted April 14.