Township?s request for loan for fire truck approved by commissioners

Bearinger Township will receive an interest-free loan from the county to help cover the expenses of a new tanker truck for the Ocqueoc-Bearinger Fire Department. Township supervisor Richard Mowers, II went before the PI County Board of Commissioners to request a loan of $14,250, which was approved on a unanimous vote. The O-B Fire Department was one of very few entities in Michigan to receive a $90,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The local match obligation was 10 percent of $100,000.

Both Ocqueoc and Bearinger townships pledged $5,000 to cover the matching portion of the deal, but the tanker came with a price tag of $120,500. Mowers said the township has requested loans from the county before, the most recent of which was paid off early, so officials decided to go before the commissioners again. The township had to make the request because fire departments are not able to incur loans, Mowers said. Chairman Allan Bruder said there was $36,000 in the Emergency Services Fund and recommended approval of the request.

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?That?s money that we lend out, so we have money to do that,? said Bruder. The zero interest loan would be for three years, through June 1, 2007, but Mowers believes the townships will be able to pay it off after the first year. To be safe, the additional two years was requested. The contract for the purchase of the new rig, which has extra water capacity because there are no fire hydrants in the two townships, was signed and the only detail needing to be worked out is when the federal funds will arrive.

Commissioner Bob Schell made the motion to approve the request, and it was seconded by Mike Darga.

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