SCHENECTADY City’s firetruck deal in jeopardy Bankruptcy cause of delivery delay BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The city’s two new firetrucks are finally finished. But the city might not get them after all. American LaFrance is delivering the trucks 20 months late — which calls for a significant price reduction, according to the city’s contract. The delay occurred while the company restructured in bankruptcy proceedings. The trouble is, LaFrance doesn’t want to accept less than the $700,000 it originally expected. Negotiations have bogged down, and the city is now threatening to go out to bid for new trucks built by someone else. With a new bidder, the city could get its trucks by the middle of next year, and never have to pay LaFrance. “One way or another, within six months we’ll have two new engines,” Fire Chief Robert Farstad said. They would probably cost much more — $450,000 each rather than $350,000 — but a different company might provide better maintenance in the long run. City of- ficials aren’t certain that LaFrance will be around for the life of the new trucks. “The trucks are unique. It’s not like your car, it’s not like there’s generic parts,” said Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden. “If the company is no longer around and doesn’t have parts, that’s problematic.” ...............>>>>..............................>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00903&AppName=1
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