Village Board — Minutes

1 VILLAGE OF EPHRAIM VILLAGE BOARD MEETING MINUTES FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 – 12:00 PM 9996 WATER STREET- EPHRAIM VILLAGE HALL Present: Rick Hoyerman, Matt Meacham, Carly Mulliken, Tim Nelson, and Ken Nelson – President. Absent: None. Staff: Brent Bristol -Village Administrator and Kim Roberts - Deputy Clerk. Guests in person: Jon Stahl (EFD) and Jason Rockwell (EFD). Guests Online: None. 1. Call to Order: K. Nelson called the meeting to order at 12:00 PM. 2. Quorum: A quorum was present for the meeting. 3. Administration: a. Discussion and consideration regarding submitting an offer to purchase a used mini-pumper truck for the Ephraim Fire Department: Bristol provided background regarding how the agenda item came about and why it had not come from the Community Protection Committee (CPC) with a recommendation. Chief MacDonald had brought the item to him after the Department had determined its interest in the truck. It is short notice because the municipality that owns the truck will be meeting Monday to review offers. The offer needs to be submitted to be considered. He further explained that he had put together a packet in MacDonald’s absence (due to illness), making assumptions about needing to review the Capital Accounts and the Fire Department Replacement Plan, truck details, and truck photos. Jon Stahl, of the Ephraim Fire Department, explained that the existing mini-pumper — a demo truck purchased around 1999–2000 — was originally acquired to access restricted roads such as North Shore Road. However, evolving fire service standards now require a minimum of four personnel on initial apparatus for structure fire attack, rendering the two-person, stick-shift truck largely underutilized. The truck's limitations also mean extrication tools, cribbing, and other essential equipment are spread across multiple vehicles, creating operational inefficiencies at incident scenes. As a result, the existing truck sees limited use—primarily for traffic control and mutual aid water supply—and has even developed fuel issues from sitting idle too long. The truck under consideration is a used 2016 HME 4x4 1,500-gallon mini-pumper. Stahl noted this model — a "compact rapid attack truck" with a custom cab seating six, including five seats equipped for air packs — is no longer manufactured, as updated emissions equipment consumes too much compartment space to make the design practical. He emphasized that trucks of this type rarely appear on the market and that this particular example checks all the boxes the department has been seeking for several years, including from discussions with the manufacturer HME. Stahl outlined the operational benefits: The new truck would become a first-line apparatus suitable for structure fires, auto accidents, and mutual aid, while also allowing extrication equipment to be consolidated onto a single vehicle. This would free the main pumper from being overloaded and enable the existing squad to serve a complementary support role. Mulliken, representing the Community Protection Committee (CPC), acknowledged that the timeline had not permitted a formal Committee meeting, which had caused some frustration among members. However, she reported having spoken individually with all Committee members within the prior 24 hours. She noted that replacing the mini-pumper has consistently been identified as the department's top replacement priority. She also raised the point — confirmed by Chief MacDonald — that the new truck would increase pump capacity, which may be a factor in the Village's 2 Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating, though any formal re-evaluation would be required to confirm the impact. A strong common theme among Committee members was that any offer to purchase must include a contingency for an in-person physical inspection of the truck by qualified personnel before the sale is finalized. A discussion was held regarding the used mini-pumper truck. T. Nelson asked whether the discontinuation of the model raised concerns about parts availability. Stahl and Rockwell responded that the truck uses a Cummins engine, the same as the Village's main pumper and common in over- the-road trucks — and that the pump and most components are shared across other apparatus still in production. The reason for discontinuation was solely the space constraints imposed by new emissions equipment, not obsolescence of the truck's core systems. Stahl noted the emissions components on this 2016 model are early-generation and relatively simple. Hoyerman asked whether the existing mini-pumper would be sold to offset costs. Stahl estimated the truck could fetch $30,000–$50,000 given its approximately 20,000 miles. Rockwell noted that Gibraltar had expressed interest in the truck for use on Chambers Island, and that Washington Island had also shown interest after the truck operated at a mutual aid call there. Hoyerman also raised the question of whether the remaining Capital Reserve balance after the purchase would leave the Village adequately funded for future equipment needs. K. Nelson reviewed the Fire Department's Capital Reserve Account, noting that two prior fund lines — "Fire Department Equipment" and "All Fire Funds" — totaled approximately $394,000 (excluding the 2026 contribution), with an annual contribution of $70,000. He walked through MacDonald's equipment replacement list, highlighting the next major items: The International equipment van (a 1995 model originally slated for replacement in 2024, estimated at $75,000– $200,000), and the IH Tender, the main pumper (not due until approximately 2037, estimated by MacDonald at $1.5–$2.5 million). Rockwell noted the current station's size effectively constrains the tender truck and would likely require a tank replacement rather than a full replacement in the near term. Meacham said a comparable new truck would cost about $1 million, making the $300,000 asking price for a low-mileage, single-owner used vehicle highly favorable. He stated that the truck's single rear tire (as opposed to duals) is particularly suited to the Village's narrow roads. He echoed support for the purchase but emphasized that a professional inspection prior to finalizing the sale was his primary concern — the Village needed to confirm it was getting exactly what was represented. Mulliken reinforced this point, paraphrasing a sentiment shared by Committee members: "We just don't want to buy someone else's problem." She also confirmed that the current truck's low utilization is largely a function of its operational limitations, not a lack of need, and that the new truck would see significantly greater use. K. Nelson expressed concern about parts availability over time, noting parallels to the challenges currently being faced with the existing 1999 truck. He was reassured by the standardized nature of the 2016 truck's components and Stahl's explanation that the fire apparatus industry is converging on uniform computer and CAN bus standards. K. Nelson also noted the advantage of purchasing a used, previously operated vehicle in that any early operational issues would already have been identified and resolved. Stahl confirmed that the truck was previously owned by a single municipality, and that Ephraim’s Department Apparatus Committee officers — including their trusted apparatus company representative from Red Power — had already reviewed the specs and found the truck sound. He stated the officers' number one contingency was an in-person inspection before accepting the offer. Stahl explained that the broker's asking price is $300,000. Stahl reported that as of the morning of the meeting, the broker had communicated that two offers above the asking price had already been received. The Fire Department officers, having initially proposed $317,000, recommended 3 submitting a bid of $332,500 — formatted in the spirit of "The Price Is Right" — to position the Village competitively. Rockwell clarified that the $332,500 bid does not include transportation costs, estimated at $6,000– $8,000 to ship the truck from Katona, New York, via lowboy transport. Stahl suggested that the Firefighters Association might contribute to this cost, and noted potential connections through fire apparatus transport companies operating in the region. The Board noted that the Firefighters Association has previously funded items such as the brush truck. The Board discussed at length the conditions to be attached to the offer to purchase. The standard agreement provided by the broker was described as approximately a page and a half with minimal terms — notably silent on deposit requirements, payment timelines, and inspection rights. Hoyerman recommended that the agreement include an additional paragraph establishing: (1) Seller grants the purchaser the right to inspect the vehicle at defined location within a defined number of days of acceptance of the agreement; (2) Purchaser shall notify, deliverable by certified US Mail, as to whether the vehicle is acceptable to the purchaser within a defined days of the inspection and (3) Seller further grants the purchaser the right to rescind this agreement at the sole discretion of the purchaser. The Board agreed that Stahl and the consultant from Red Power would travel to New York — by air, as the 17-hour drive was deemed impractical — to conduct the inspection. Stahl indicated he was available on weekends if needed. The Board discussed the appropriate inspection window, settling on a period not to exceed 10 days from acceptance of the offer, with the understanding that the inspection would be completed as soon as schedules allowed. The exact number of days was to be confirmed by Bristol after Stahl consulted with the consultant on his availability. Bristol was also directed to contact the Village Attorney to review and formalize the addendum language before submission. The general sentiment was that while the timeline was not ideal and a more deliberate process would have been preferred, the opportunity was compelling, the need was well-established, the financial position was manageable, and this type of truck rarely comes to market. T. Nelson stressed that while the topic is new for the Village Board, it is not new to the Fire Department. They have been searching for a truck for some time. Further, the truck is number one on the Replacement Plan. Mulliken moved, T. Nelson seconded, to approve the purchase of the used 2016 HME 4x4 1,500-gallon mini-pumper truck not to exceed $332,500, with the contingencies outlined during the discussion [(1) Seller grants the purchaser the right to inspect the vehicle at defined location within not to exceed 10 days of acceptance of the agreement; (2) the purchaser shall notify, deliverable by certified US Mail, as to whether the vehicle is acceptable to the purchaser within 2 days of the inspection and (3) Seller further grants the purchaser the right to rescind this agreement at the sole discretion of the purchaser]., all ayes. Motion carried. 4. Adjournment: T. Nelson moved, Meacham seconded, to adjourn at 1:12 PM, all ayes. Motion carried. Recorded by, Kim Roberts – Deputy Clerk