Bradley votes to purchase firetruck

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Bradley County commissioners approved a budget amendment Monday to buy a firetruck for the new Tasso station after some members continued a debate over the process that began last week.

Commissioners voted 12-0, with two absent, to transfer $200,000 within the county's fire fund to buy the truck.

But Commissioner Lisa Stanbery, a candidate for county mayor, first said the firetruck purchase was not mentioned in the current county budget.

"When we were preparing the new budget, I didn't see this listed as a request," she said. "To make an informed decision, we need to have this information available."

County Mayor D. Gary Davis said the process for the truck was the same one that commissioners approved unanimously last year to build the fire station.

"The only difference is we are five months away from an election," he said.

Last week, Ms. Stanbery questioned whether the purchase violated Mr. Davis' freeze on county purchase orders to curb spending.

Mr. Davis said the freeze applies to the general fund budget, not the fire fund.

"Some people seem to get confused," he said.

Commissioners Jeff Yarber and Ed Elkins questioned the timeline from the mayor's office. The contract was signed on Dec. 12, 2008, but the budget amendment was submitted to the county Finance Committee on Oct. 13, 2009.

The truck was built well after the 90 to 120 days sought in the contract request, Mr. Elkins said.

Fire Chief Dewey Woody said the county was trying to time the purchase for when the new fire hall was ready. Because it takes a year or more to build a truck, "our intent with the contract was an attempt to hold a firetruck already on the lot in Bradenton, Fla.," Mr. Woody said.

But that truck was sold and the bidding process continued, he said.