Erie Bureau Of Police, Fire To Get Fleet Upgrades

Erie, PA's public safety departments are getting fleet upgrades. Erie City Council on November 8 voted to use an $85,000 contribution from Gannon University to buy three cruisers for the Erie Bureau of Police.

"That's a service that entities like Gannon would utilize," said Laura Schaaf, Assistant to Mayor Joe Sinnott. "It just makes sense to apply it to public safety."

The new cruisers will replace aging cars in the fleet, City Finance Director Paul Lichtenwalter said.

Gannon, as an educational institution, is exempt from paying property taxes to the city. The university does not have an official payment in lieu of taxes -- or P.I.L.O.T. -- agreement with the city, in which tax-exempt entities pay a portion of their taxes.

A Gannon spokesman said the university made the contribution instead of having a formal P.I.L.O.T. agreement.

Council also approved a $668,928 contract with KME Fire Apparatus, of Nesquehoning, to buy a pumper truck for the Erie Bureau of Fire. The truck will replace a 1999 truck now being used as a front-line vehicle at Engine Co. No. 8. The 1999 truck will now be used as a backup vehicle, and a 1987 vehicle taken out of service.

The new pumper will be funded through an $8.5 million bond issue council passed in 2011.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
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Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004