Elizabeth West/Ville Platte Gazette
At Tuesday night’s Evangeline Parish Fire District No. 2 board meeting, the board denied a request to purchase a new fire truck for the Chataignier Fire Department.
Ville Platte Fire Chief Chris Harrison said, “The Chataignier Fire Department met and they had Steve Thibodeaux (fire district board member) present, and they would like the board to approve them buying a new truck just like unit 107. Lester Dare (sales representative for Ferrara Fire Apparatus Inc.) said the board could get the truck without a 4 percent increase in the price, but it has to be approved and have a contract made before the end of the year.”
Without Thibodeaux present at the meeting to share more on this topic, the board found it hard to approve purchasing a new truck for Chataignier.
Board Chairman Danny McDaniel said, “I believe that because Steve is the board member from that area he should be the one to present it to the board. Every other board member presented his department’s trucks and what he wanted, and I think it’s only fair that they do the same thing.”
Finances were also a concern in this situation for one board member.
Ted Demoruelle said, “We dont have a financial budget for next year so I don’t see how we can do that.”
The topic of a new truck for Chatainier may be discussed again once Thibodeaux provides more information to the board.
Other items approved were:
Process Verbal-tax Renewal for the Fire District No. 2.
Accept a quote for $2,850 from Rusty Fontenot to address the plumbing situation at the Belaire Cove Fire Station.
Purchase of four new tires, oil change and windshield wiper blades for the fire chief’s truck.