At the July 10, 2000 meeting of the village board, the village clerk was authorized to advertise for bids for (2) two new pumping engines for the Depew Fire Department pending a review of the bid specifications by the village board.
Trustee John Fragale reported at the August 14, 2000 meeting that only one bid for two new fire engines was received and due to time constraints, they are being re-bid and a motion was passed to have the village clerk advertise for new bids.
On September 25, 2000, Trustees Nick Sherwood and Charles Seiler offered a resolution, that upon the recommendation of Fire Chief Michael Pelletterie, Jr., the bid for two new fire engines for the Depew Fire Department be awarded to R.D. Murray of Hamburg for (2) two American LaFrance 1500 G.P.M. Class A pumping engines for the sum of $626,186 upon delivery and acceptance by the respective truck committees and fire chief. The price of the two new engines included the trade-in of the 1977 Ward LaFrance Engine 6 and the 1979 Ward LaFrance Engine 1.
A bond resolution was authorized on January 22, 2001 in the amount of $626,186 to cover the cost of the two new American LaFrance fire engines subject to a permissive referendum.
On April 18. 2001, bids were received for (1) one new vehicle to be used by the fire chief. The bid was awarded to basil Chevrolet in the amount of $30,376.
In 2002, newly appointed Fire Chief Ronald Maciejewski requested permission from the village board to allow the Depew Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 to form a truck committee for the replacement of the 1982 aerial ladder.
On oo/oo/2002 President David Strohmenger of the Hooks appointed a truck committee consisting of the following: Assistant Chief Peter Michaels, Past Assistant Chief James Nusall, Captain Robert Guggemos, Lieutenant Brian Musielak and President and Past Chief David Strohmenger also was to serve on the committee.
In early 2003, Chief Maciejewski informed the village board that specifications had been completed for a new aerial platform truck for the Hook & Ladder Co.
At the April 14, 2003 meeting of the village board, Chief Maciejewski explained the need for a new fire truck for the Hook & Ladder Co. He named the committee and thanked them for their diligence in preparing of the specifications for the design of the new truck. Mayor Joseph McIntosh also thanked the committee for their efforts acknowledging the amount of time necessary for such a project.
Trustee William Maryniewski, offered the following resolution and moved for its adoption: That the village clerk is authorized to advertise for bids for one (1) fire truck for the Village of Depew Fire Department. Bids were to be received and opened on May 1st.
Several questions were raised concerning the cost and the need for a new aerial fire apparatus. With the village facing a big tax increase soon and more hard times on the horizon, some asked whether it is time to study less costly alternatives, such as sharing such equipment with nearby municipalities.
Mayor McIntosh, however, said sharing equipment with another locality is out of the question.
“They have their own communities to protect, and we have our own to protect,” he said. “We have a good-size community, and we do need a ladder truck.”
Fire Chief Maciejewski said sharing a ladder truck would be impossible. He said the truck goes out on all calls, 287 last year, because it carries a lot of necessary equipment such as chain saws and salvage and ventilation equipment
He also indicated that the fire insurance rates for homeowners would increase if the department did not have a ladder truck and that in any case, it would be difficult to find a locality that would respond as quickly as the Depew fire fighters do.
On May 1, 2003, two bids were received for the new aerial platform truck. A bid of $669,336 was received from Wilde Fire equipment Company of Mayfield, New York and a second bid in the amount of $754,653 was received from R.D. Murray of Hamburg, New York. The bids were referred to the fire chief, truck committee, village board and attorney.
In the meantime permission was granted to the Depew Fire Department on May 12th to take the 1982 American LaFrance aerial ladder to the New York State Association of Fire Chief’s Association Conference at Syracuse, New York, June 11-14, to be displayed in the “Used Fire Apparatus For Sale” section of the conference.
After a study of the two bids received, the low bid of Wilde Fire Equipment Company was rejected based on 31 exceptions to the bid specifications.
The bid of R.D. Murray in the amount of $754,653 was accepted for one (1) aerial platform truck to be manufactured by the American LaFrance Fire Engine Company on the motion of Trustee sandy Pieczynski and seconded by Trustee William Maryniewski. The treasurer was also authorized to pay R.D. Murray upon delivery of the apparatus if it meets all specifications to the satisfaction of the fire chief and the truck committee.