Council discusses new fire truck and kiddie pool at length

The California City Council spent quite a bit of time discussing the new fire truck bid and the need for a kiddie pool at the regular monthly meeting.

After the discussion about the fire truck, to be purchased with the help of a $350,000 F.E.M.A. grant, the council rejected the bid. Then directions were given for more generic specifications to be prepared and submitted for bids from fire truck manufacturers.

The Board of Aldermen discussion about the fire truck at the Monday, May 7, meeting revolved around the issue that only one bid was received. The bid specifications were submitted to seven fire truck manufacturers.

According to City Attorney Ann Perry, those non-bidding companies contacted after not submitting bids for the new truck considered the specifications "too proprietary" in that one particular manufacturer - the one which submitted the only bid proposal - appeared to be favored.

For more of this story check out the May 16 issue of the California Democrat.