In November, the City of Hoquiam will ask voters to approve a property tax increase to pay for the replacement or reconditioning of four ambulances.
The City Council passed a resolution Monday putting the levy request on the General Election ballot.
Hoquiam has four ambulances, one of which is out of service and another that is not allowed out of town due to reliability issues, city officials say. All have mileages in excess of 100,000 miles. According to Hoquiam Fire Chief Paul Dean, the older ambulances are subject to breakdowns and in need of “rechassising,” which involves replacing the frame, wheels, engine and mechanical parts of a vehicle.
Three plans were offered for consideration, varying in the amount of upgrades and potential burden on taxpayers.