IFPD streamlines its Purchasing Policy Votes to purchase additional fire truck

On Wednesday, June 15, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners held a special meeting with two duly-noticed action items for the board’s review, discussion and approval: an amendment to its Purchasing Policy followed by the purchase of a fire truck — both items proposed by IFPD Fire Chief Mark LaMont.

At the time of the meeting, IFPD’s Purchasing Policy required all purchases exceeding $10,000.01 to be “individually approved on a case-by-case basis by the IFPD Fire Chief after consultation and approval by the IFPD Board of Commissioners.” (Purchasing Policy 3135.4.)

In order to purchase the fire truck, Policy no. 3135.4 required that the purchase include:

“• A detailed report which describes the necessity of the purchase.

• Service life of product purchased.

• A minimum of three (3) qualified Bids from licensed Vendors.

• A report identifying means of payment including full cost (interest/other) of purchase.

• Viable options if any to lessen the impact of purchase.”

However, LaMont told the board he had communicated with IFPD’s legal counsel, the firm of Cole-Huber in Hemet, who’s attorney had informed him that the purchasing policies of other similar boards typically included a provision that the lawyer had noticed was “missing” from IFPD’s purchase policy: a provision allowing the board to waive its purchasing requirements whenever it was in the district’s best interests to do so. LaMont then proposed that the board modify its Purchasing Policy no. 3135 by adopting the missing language as policy no. 3135.9, entitled “Board Waiver,” providing: “Notwithstanding any provisions of this policy, the Board my waive procurement requirements for Goods and Services upon finding that it is in the district’s best interest to do so.” (Language LaMont said “came straight from” Cole-Huber, IFPD’s legal counsel.)

On LaMont’s recommendation, without opposition or discussion, the IFPD board unanimously voted to enact this amendment to its Purchasing Policy.

LaMont then proposed that the board vote to purchase from Marion Body Works in Marion, Wisconsin, a Marion Type 3 Model 34 West Coast Demo Fire Apparatus, 2018 Model 34E, Type II, 4×4 Pumper, VIN no. 3HAWETAR5JL344689 — i.e., a specific, existing pumper fire truck — for the price of $349,500. LaMont went into considerable detail orally explaining how the purchase of the truck would save the district money in the long run — owing to the aging of the district’s current pumper fire truck and other considerations.

The board’s adoption of the new amendment — which had been found missing from the board’s Purchasing Policy — meant the IFPD board now could use it to bypass the above-detailed policy provisions (including putting the purchase out to three qualified bids from licensed vendors) without need to consider them in the purchase of the fire truck.

The board then unanimously voted to make the fire truck purchase.

Although the board did not formally find on the record that it was “in the district’s best interest” to waive Purchase Policy No. 3135.4 with regard to the purchase of the fire truck, Board President Henry Sawicki explained to this reporter during a break that the board’s vote to approve the purchase of the truck impliedly found that the purchase was “in the district’s best interest” — the language of the new amendment.

Of course, anytime the board votes for anything, the board is impliedly finding it to be in the district’s “best interest,” else the board would not have voted for it. So, now, to purchase expensive goods and services at any price, the IFPD Board needs only to vote for them. “In the district’s best interest” will be implied — as it is anytime the board votes on anything — and the detailed procedures of Policy No. 3135.4, relating to purchases of $10,000.02 on up therefore are no longer required. The new amendment thereby considerably streamlines IFPD future purchases of expensive goods and services.

The remainder of the IFPD evening consisted of a detailed, educational presentation by U.S. Forest Service Battalion Chief Chris Fogle on mutual aid considerations and on how fire-fighting cost is apportioned among various state, county and local agencies cooperating in fighting a fire.