Posted by Pat Cavanaugh on September 12, 2006 at 16:45:52 (EST):
In Reply to: Let's hear it for Kittanning Borough Council posted by :::!!:!:! on September 12, 2006 at 09:11:58 (EST):
OK, if we consolidate fire houses...which neighborhood becomes the farthest away? Which house, tightly built beside another is now 20 blocks from station X instead of 3 or 4 blocks...your house or your neighbors or is it someone elses' problem?
How come the discussion on the boards talk of consolidation with fire houses, which do whatever they can to raise their own money and use volunteers....but can't talk CONSOLIDATION when it comes to the 2 high schools 5 miles apart...with NO FACILITIES I might add.
Ladder trucks, aerials, articulating platforms, 'sticks' booms or whatever are not play-toys. I know from my own point of view, I'd rather have a machine to take me to the roof of some burning attic and roof over the old aluminum 3 section, heavy truss ladder especially in the winter...when we heat our houses with everything but natural gas (costs). You know that's why we hire contractors to put on our roofs...we don't like climbing up there and doing it ourselves...nor are we all capable.
A 2% loan from the wonderful Government in conjunction with 10 or 20% down isn't as bad as some of our car and truck payments...much less the gas it costs to run them.
Here's an estimate if the above is true.
10% down I used $428,000.00 ( i forgot what the stated price was.
$42,000.00 = 10% borrowed from local @ 5% for 10 years=$445.48 total pay back = 53,457/60
90% on 2% loan for 15 years:
$386,000 @ 2% = $2,483.95 / Month.
Pay back = $447,111.00 at end of 15 years.
20% down
$84,000 @ 5% Local Loan for 10 years.
$890.95 / month. Payback = 106,914.00 end of loan
$344,000.00 on 2% loan = $2,213.67.00/month
Total at end of loan = $398,460.06 at 15 years.\
Just some estimates of the cost if the borough did it that way.
How old is the existing ladder?
How old is your car / truck
How much to maintain the vehicles.
Good luck Hose Co. Number 1.
It only takes 1 life saved to make the cost mean nothing.