By Sandy Meindersma
The Telegram & Gazette
RUTLAND, Mass. — Fire Chief Thomas P. Ruchala told the Board of Selectmen this week that Engine 2 can no longer be used and has been placed out of service.
"We've moved all the equipment on it to Engine 3," he said at the selectmen's meeting Monday night.
Selectman Joseph Becker asked if a replacement for Engine 2 was needed "yesterday."
"Not yesterday, but we definitely need to get something," Chief Ruchala said.
"We don't have the money for it," said Leroy "Skip" Clark, chairman of the Board of Selectmen. "And I don't think a Proposition 2-1/2 override will pass."
"We have to do something," Chief Ruchala said. "For a town our size, we need to have two pumpers, a ladder truck and a brush truck. We don't have an excessive amount of vehicles."
The chief indicated that while the last pumper truck cost $328,000, a new pumper is likely to cost even more, since it would be replacing both a pumper and rescue truck.
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