Somebody out there really wants the City of Greenville to have a new fire truck.
City Manager Massoud Ebrahim told the city council Tuesday that the same anonymous donor who had already contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars toward the cost of the truck had made yet another payment.
“I did receive a third and final donation of $150,000,” Ebrahim said.
Ebrahim briefed the council about the process of lining up funding for the truck.
Ebrahim said it was the same donor who chipped in $150,000 in November and agreed to contribute another $150,000 last month, which will be added to $200,000 left over from certificates of obligation issued last year.
Ebrahim explained that in the near future he will be meeting with Finance Director Cliff Copeland and Fire Chief Doug Caison.
“We will sit down and proceed to purchase a fire truck for the City of Greenville,” he said.
Ebrahim received a round of applause from the council and from the audience on hand for Tuesday night’s meeting.
“You are the best fund raiser I know,” said Mayor Steve Reid.
Ebrahim has said he did not intend to issue debt to pay for the truck, maintaining he wanted to build on an account until it reached the $500,000 range before considering financing for another fire engine.
The council asked Ebrahim in September if a way could be found to purchase a new engine, as one of the Greenville Fire-Rescue Department’s two reserve pumper trucks, which came into service in 1993, has been the source of repeated maintenance issues