City plans to borrow $4.6 million for new equipment

LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Little Rock Board of Directors agreed Tuesday night to borrow $4.6 million to purchase new fire trucks, snow plows, and garbage trucks.

The ordinance was pushed through so the city could buy fire trucks before their price increased by 3% in January, saving the city $48,000.

Before the vote, there presentations made supporting the move.

“We cross our fingers every morning to make sure we have enough trucks to get out the gate,” said Ronnie Lowe, Little Rock Public Works Assistant Director.

Chief Gregory Summers of the Little Rock Fire Department says he doesn’t allow any firemen to raise the ladder of a 35-year-old truck in his aging fleet. Summers expressed the need to borrow the money before the new sales tax revenue comes in this March.

The $4.6 million will be used to fill what Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore calls “urgent needs.” Moore said there were items that the city still needs.

The top priority for the police department is a new radio system, which comes with a multi-million dollar price tag. The city plans to use tax money in 2012 to buy the system, which the police department says will help them with faster response times.