An Order to appropriate and raise by borrowing 1,600,000 to pay the costs of two fire pumpers

The City proposes borrowing up to $1.6 million to purchase two custom fire engines for the Amesbury Fire Department, plus a $50,000 equipment allowance per engine. Debt service would start in FY2028 with a 7- to 10-year repayment plan. The engines will be purpose-built for Amesbury, featuring a shorter wheelbase and lower hose bed to improve maneuverability and safety, and will be housed at both Headquarters and Elm Street Station to restore the city’s two-station model. The purchase aims to restore the planned apparatus replacement schedule, reduce reliance on borrowed equipment, and support Elm Street Station reopening, yielding long-term reliability and cost savings by avoiding higher future replacement costs. If not approved, the city would face continued reliance on borrowed equipment and higher eventual replacement costs.