New Protective Gear and Hybrid Pickup Truck Among Fire Department Capital Requests

Report on the Meeting of the Joint Capital Planning Committee, February 18, 2026

This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.

Present
Cathy Schoen (Chair), Jill Brevik and Andy Churchill (Town Councilors), Deb Leonard and Bridget Hynes (School Committee), and Lee Edwards (Jones Library). Absent: Eugen Gioffredo (Jones Library)

Staff: Sean Mangano (Finance Director)

After Finance Director Sean Mangano gave an overview of the draft  FY2027 Capital Improvement plan, members of the Joint Capital Planning Committee (JCPC) heard from representatives of the Amherst Fire Department and Sustainability Director Stephanie Cicarelli regarding their departments’ capital requests for next year.

Fire Department Capital Requests Total $267,000
Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren and Assistant Chiefs Steve Chandler and Steve Gaughn requested $15,000 for three new laptops for ambulances, $40,000 for a tethered camera, $550,000 for new protective gear, $82,000 for a wireless station alert system, and $80,000 for a hybrid pick-up to be used as a support vehicle, mostly by the Fire Inspector.

Stromgren said that the $2 million previously approved for a police and fire radio system ran into some procurement problems, but now is moving ahead and should be acquired soon. He added that fire station improvements have been shifted away from the AFD to the Facilities Department. He noted that the North Amherst Fire Station is now 50 years old, and the Central Fire Station is approaching 100 years of age. Both need improvements, and since a replacement for the Central Fire Station is probably five years or more away, the repairs on the existing stations need to be done.

Chandler stated that every fire truck and ambulance has a laptop that is used to send medical information to the hospital. Since these laptops are used at the scene of an accident or fire and can be exposed to the elements, they need to be replaced about every three years. The AFD has seven of these laptops, and replaces three per year, as recommended by the IT department.

Gaughn cited the need for a tethered camera that can reach up to 200 feet for aerial views. The AFD has a drone, which requires a drone pilot license to fly, while the tethered camera can be used by any member of the department. In addition to monitoring fires, Gaughn said the camera can be used to inspect rooftop solar array installations, as required, and to monitor crowds at large gatherings, or even to find lost children.  He estimated that the camera could be used instead of the drone in 75% of cases.

Each firefighter needs well-fitting protective gear, which costs about $6,000 apiece. Depending on the number of student volunteer firefighters, the force has 90 to 100 firefighters. Actually, each firefighter should have two sets of gear, so that they can have a clean set if they need to go on a second run. Stromgren said that gear costs have skyrocketed in recent years. The department does not have two sets for each firefighter, but it is getting closer. The department wants to purchase seven sets for this year and replace some worn-out equipment.

The major expenses requested are $82,000 for a station alert system and $80,000 for a new fire prevention vehicle. Stromgren said the station alert system will be used to announce emergencies to all rooms in the stations. Currently, the North Fire Station has a 50-year-old public address system and the Central Fire Station’s system is no longer operable. Firefighters are using beepers for alerts. The planned new system will be wireless and expandable. It will be able to be moved to a new facility if the stations need to be temporarily relocated for renovations or when the new station is built.

The current fire prevention vehicle is a 17-years-old Ford Escape hybrid that needs expensive repairs. It is used by the Fire Inspector to do over 1,000 inspections a year. The department wants to acquire a hybrid pick-up to be able to carry ladders and other equipment. The AFD looked into getting an electric vehicle, but the North Fire Station would need $750,000 in improvement to its electrical infrastructure to support a charging station.

The new vehicle would also be used for public outreach at town events, when it would need to carry tables and chairs.

$250,000 Capital Budget for Sustainability
Sustainability Director Stephanie Ciccarelli said that she is a “department of one,” but she tries to help other departments increase the energy efficiency of their projects. She said it is important to have funds on hand to conduct engineering studies and weatherization for town-building projects. Plans for the coming year include weatherization of the North Fire Station and an engineering study prior to replacing the Town Hall roof.

Ciccarelli’s requests were $150,000 for engineering studies and weatherization, $25,000 for engineering studies for solar installations, $25,000 for community gardens, and $50,000 to supplement other projects, such as funding the energy-saving measures on the Fire Department’s new pumper truck and ladder truck. She said that she works closely with Eversource to get an assessment of energy use in buildings and then tries to address how to minimize carbon emissions.

When Councilor Jill Brevik asked about the $25,000 for “infrastructure, and materials for the town’s existing community gardens and for the establishment of new ones,” Ciccarelli replied, “It’s to address some of the infrastructure needs for the gardens that we currently have. For instance, our Fort River Farm community garden, which has been wildly successful, and I try to promote it at every turn because I feel like it’s a great example of what Amherst is about. It’s a great example of a diverse group working together. We started with 10 gardeners the first year, and we now have over 40 plots, and I think there’s a waiting list. But it needs a solid water source. We have a pump, but we’re going to need to put in some kind of cistern.” She added that the garden supports people from the nearby housing complexes.”

Capital Budget $7 Million for FY2027
At 10.5% of the total budget, Amherst will have slightly over $7 million for capital expenses. Requests from town departments will be presented to JCPC over the next month, before the Town Manager develops the draft budget in April.

The plan for FY 2027 includes the following investments:

`           • Fire/EMS: a new station alert system, protective gear, and equipment for ambulances; • Elementary Schools: initial phase to upgrade playground at Crocker Farm;

• Department of Public Works: repair and replacement of roads, which will be augmented by State Chapter 90 funds, storm water management, and an additional asphalt hot box to improve pothole patching capacity;

• Facilities: funds to address the backlog of maintenance and repairs to existing town and school facilities;

• Sustainability: continued investment in initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Wednesday, February 25, meeting will have presentations from the assessors, Police Department, and DPW. The March 4 meeting will be for the Conservation, Planning, and Town Facilities departments. School Information Technology, School Facilities and Transportation, Town IT, and Recreation requests will be presented on March 11. The final two Wednesdays in March will be devoted to reviewing capital inventory and unspent funds and developing recommendations for the budget.

JCPC Chair Cathy Schoen asked that Mangano include future debt payments, especially on the Jones Library project and Amethyst Brook Elementary School in his reports, and also report the status of unspent funds previously awarded. For instance, she said, the tennis courts at Mill River Recreation Area are finished, but the report shows a $25,000 balance. She asked departmental representatives to give a status report on prior capital projects, as well as propose new projects.