MATTAPOISETT — First responders in Mattapoisett are planning to keep costs low for Fiscal Year 2024.

Mattapoisett Fire Chief Andrew Murray and Police Chief Jason King presented their proposed capital expenditures during a meeting of the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee on Monday, Jan. 30.

Capital expenditures need to be approved as a part of a department’s entire budget through a Town Meeting vote before they go into effect. The next Mattapoisett Town Meeting is on Monday, May 8.

Between the two chiefs, who represent the town’s fire, police and ambulance departments, they are asking for around $110,000 to pay for major expenses next fiscal year. This represents approximately 2.8% of the total $3,898,650 being requested by various town departments.

The fire department is requesting $55,000 of free cash for an additional SUV to replace an aging and malfunctioning vehicle currently in use by Murray.

“It is seven years old, it's been in two major accidents, [and] it has an electrical issue that we're still trying to figure out,” Murray noted.

Should the request be approved, the department’s current SUV will be kept online and used for non-emergency purposes like “running miscellaneous errands” and driving new recruits to training sessions across the state.

However, while Fiscal Year 2024 may be light for the fire department, there are some large capital expenditures in the department’s future.

In Fiscal Year 2034, Murray anticipates the purchase of a new fire engine to replace the current 1989 model that is “probably older than 40% of [the fire department’s] staff.”

There was also discussion about the potential purchase of a fire tanker or ladder truck for the department. A fire tanker could cost the town $600,000, while a ladder truck could be up to $1.7 million.

According to Murray, ladder trucks give firefighters more stable footing than working from a building’s roof. It also allows firefighters to reach buildings from further away while avoiding power lines and other hazards.

Murray also explained that a fire tanker would allow the department to better service buildings that are out of hydrant range.

“The tanker would be beneficial,” he said. “At the boatyard fire, we had to call in 12 tankers from as far away as Plainville. It takes a little while for them to get down.”

Much like the fire department’s proposed capital expense, the police department is requesting $55,000 of free cash for the purchase of a new police cruiser that would replace a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe currently in use by the department.

The car was “out of service for probably three or four months this year because we had some transmission issues,” said King, who added that the car will most likely have around 150,000 miles on it by the time it is replaced.

According to King, the police department is not yet moving toward electric police vehicles.

“I'm a solar guy, I love electric cars,” said King. “But for a police agency, I don't think they're there yet.”

The police department originally requested an additional $330,000, which would have included the purchase of a second cruiser, office equipment, body cameras and car-mounted cameras.

King explained that the cameras were covered by a $78,415 grant awarded by the state last year. The cost of office furniture, including King’s desk which has faulty drawers, will be incorporated into future years’ budgets.

The additional cruiser was deemed unnecessary, added King.

'It sure sounds like you guys have done a great job protecting and taking care of the town's money,” said Capital Planning Committee member Michael Dahill. “So if you need a desk with drawers that don’t fall out, we’d be in favor.”

King is not requesting any capital funding for the town’s ambulance department in the upcoming fiscal year.

Monday’s meeting was the first of many where town departments will present their biggest monetary “asks” to the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee.

The committee has three more meetings scheduled for Feb. 6, 21 and 28 to meet with other town departments.