A downturn in the economy of an East Coast community and a federal grant will bring a new fire truck to Houston later this year, members of the Houston City Council heard Monday night.
The city will use a $435,000 federal grant from USDA Rural Development to purchase a truck that had earlier been ordered by a beach town that cancelled its order due to declining sales tax revenue brought on by the coronavirus.
The council authorized a $466,650 payment for the truck under a contract with MacQueen Emergency, a Eureka firm.
Under the grant, the city is required to contribute about $145,000, bringing the total outlay to about $580,000. The city will able to outfit the truck using specifications developed jointly by leadership in the fire department and the city.
If all goes as planned, the new truck may arrive by late summer or early fall. The city’s portion of the cost will come from a sales tax approved last year by voters.