By Jami Badershall,Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – Question 1 on the referendum ballot makes clear the cost of a new firetruck but not the savings, Fire Chief Terry Bell said.

“We’re downsizing from four trucks to three,” he said. “Less trucks on the road saves you money. It saves fuel and maintenance costs.”

On June 13, Farmington residents will vote whether or not to appropriate $812,500 for a 2006 combined ladder and pump truck. The Fire Department has already set aside $215,672 in a reserve fund and has been offered $100,000 for its ladder truck. The University of Maine at Farmington has also offered to pay $25,000 toward the purchase if the question passes, Bell said.

The rest of the money would come from the town, which would get a loan not to exceed $500,000.

“The way we’ve bought trucks in the past is to put money aside in an equipment reserve and hopefully that was enough,” Bell said. “But costs go up. Now a town can’t put enough money in its equipment reserves for a new truck. We’ve always paid for it, but times are changing.”

He said firetrucks are replaced every 25 years. The Fire Department’s 1982 pumper is due to be replaced this year; the ladder truck is due to be replaced in 2012. The new firetruck would replace both at a cost much less than replacing two trucks.

A new pumper truck would be $400,000, and Bell estimates that a new ladder truck in 2012 would be $900,000 or more. Plus the department can get $100,000 for the ladder truck it paid $315,000 for back in 1988.

“We’ll save $400,000 if we buy this truck now,” Bell said. “And if you have only three vehicles instead of four, that’s got to save you money. You have to look at the big picture, not just what you’re spending today.”