Holiday Island Needs a Fire Truck

 

Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay 

Arkansas does have one of the finest Open Meeting Laws in the Nation and yet, the community this article is concerning has years of difficulty understanding "How It Works."

The previous article, Smoke & Mirrors, intros into a "Special Meeting" called by the Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District (HISID) board of commissioners (BOC) on Monday, March 20, 2023. 

The Creekside News Journal (CNj) received the mandatory two hour notification by phone for this Special Meeting. It was later that CNj became aware that HISID had sent email notifications to the public at large. Upon arrival to this meeting, the meeting had an agenda and was conducted as a "Regular Meeting."

With a public comment section, one individual, new to the neighborhood, participated in this section to state interest in learning about the neighborhood.

This editor, also a resident, inquired about a line item printed on a submission included in the Tax Assessment Statement indicating a pay-off amount for AOB.

The District Manager (Danny Presley) and the Chair (Pat Sarratt) stated they could not comment on that topic. 

So, for the record, CNj announced that this was a "Special Meeting" being conducted as a regular session meeting. 

Fire Chief Ates gave a short presentation about a used 2007 E-ONE Typhoon Fire Truck
that is offered For Sale through Bradford Fire Apparatus.

There are exchanges between the Fire Chief and District Manager regarding email info. 
The Fire Chief took a mechanic with him to view the truck.
(CNj has receipts for that trip.) 

Discussion regarding how fortunate for the district that this truck is available that there are not other trucks available. 

(CNj does have a rather long list of other brokers selling this year and model truck.)

The BOC spent approximately an hour talking about the fire department and insurance but NOT the specifics of the truck, which was to be the "Special Meeting" topic. 

CNj got a few questions in with answers during the second comment section.
The purchase of the truck will include an engine replacement.
Hoses not included.
The odometer reading was known but not the hours of service for this truck.

 
Some points CNj was not allowed time to ask due to a comment section time restraint:

The engine replacement, a Cummins but, some of these engines have been recalled by the government and there are other issues including a flow issue. Details?
Exactly whom is the One Year warranty with for this truck purchase?
The truck is a Diesel.
Will it take off-road diesel or need to go to the White Oak Station to be filled?

Will it fit there?
One point that the Fire Chief questions: "Will it fit in Station #1?"
Why did he not know this?

According to Bradford Fire Apparatus the measurements for a 2007 E-ONE Typhoon Fire Truck: Length 33' 4"   Height 9' 4"   Width 8' 4"

The HISID BOC approved the purchase of this truck.
The HISID BOC canceled the regular business meeting for March 27, 2023, simply because the District Manager would be out of town.