Made to order: Bethlehem Twp. in queue for new $1.3M firetruck

BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — It could be four more years before the township sees its newest firetruck, valued at nearly $1.5 million.

Township commissioners voted 4-1 on Monday to approve a $1.42 million contract for a 2029 Pierce Enforcer rescue pumper to be built for the Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company fleet.

According to Township Manager Doug Bruce, the plan also would include paying half the contract price within 30 days to get a $110,084 discount, bringing the “good-faith estimate” to $1,319,837.

Commissioner Michael Hudak was the lone dissenter; he wanted the township to inquire with more manufacturers and secure some sort of protection against price hikes from parts suppliers.

Any potential increases in supplier costs are set to be passed along to the purchaser, per the agreement.

Glick Fire Equipment Co., whose corporate office is based in Lancaster County, is the other party to the agreement. Glick is an authorized distributor of Pierce products with additional locations in Montgomery, Butler, Clinton and Washington counties.

Built to spec

BTVFC officials said about a year of planning has gone into the front-to-back design of the new truck, but those specifications won’t work across all manufacturers because of some proprietary parts and designs offered from builder to builder.

BTFVC Fire Chief C.J. Kuronya said one company already indicated by email it would not build the truck as requested and asked the department to start over from scratch.

Another company has yet to respond to an inquiry, Kuronya said.

“We’ve already spent a year on this project, and we can’t afford to wait any longer,” Kuronya said.

Hanover Township just approved a similar engine, but Bethlehem Township just came out cheaper on its newly approved truck, according to BTVFC Deputy Chief and President Dave Stapinski.

'An open check'

Commissioners’ meeting minutes from March 3 show the panel voted to table the new truck’s purchase order to explore more options.

Commissioner Michael Hudak said the township should have post-agreement protections in place against supplier cost hikes.

“I want to make this very clear: I’m not against replacing the truck at all,” Hudak said. “To just write an open check to a builder that we’re comfortable with — I’m against that.”

Commissioner DeAnne Lawrence said “time is of the essence” regarding the purchase.

Though Commissioner Matthew Deckman said he wasn’t a fan of the contract language regarding potential changes in costs post-signing, he said, “The hay is in the barn, in my opinion, here.”

Board Chairman John Merhottein said he recently contacted the Palmer Township manager and fire chief, who reported no issues so far regarding their purchase of a firetruck two years ago from the same company.

Hanover Township is in a similar situation regarding a truck of its own, Merhottein said.

“We’re already looking at a four-year lead time before we even get the truck,” Merhottein said. “If we put this purchase off, it’s my belief it’ll just cost more than the quoted contract already.”

The township has two volunteer fire companies: Nancy Run (3564 Easton Ave.) and Bethlehem Township (1919 Eighth St.).

To avoid dipping into cash reserves for new trucks at both companies, officials voted the 2025 township budget to include raising the fire services tax from 0.15 of a mill to 0.45 of a mill.

That’s about $30 per year for owners of a property valued at $200,000 and assessed for tax purposes at $100,000.