Bartlesville (OK) City Council voted to approve a bid for a 100-foot aerial platform fire apparatus despite the cost being more than $240,000 over budget, according to a report published by the Examiner-Enterprise.
In 2020, voters approved a $16.4 million general obligation bond and the funds for the $1.3 million apparatus are expected to come from that bond issue, according to the report.
Inflation and rising cost in supplies, the aerial is $246,687 over the original budget and the councilors accommodated that increase with unallocated tax funds.
The department got two bids for the new aerial, one was for $1.3 million with a 45 day delivery period and the other was for $1.5 million and the lower bid was selected, according to the report.
The new aerial will replace a 1975 Snorkel apparatus, the report said.
