By: Joseph L. Kuchie
Fire truck. Illustration by the Amboy Guardian.
SOUTH AMBOY – The South Amboy city council officially approved Ordinance #5-2015 at last week’s council meeting that will allow the city to purchase a new fire truck.
The ordinance will appropriate $820,000 and authorizes the issuance of $779,000 in bonds of the city to finance part of the cost. The council allowed the public to comment on the ordinance before passing it, although no residents spoke.
“I’ve said this before but this is not something that happened overnight,” said Mayor Fred Henry. “We have spent months and months talking about this with the fire chiefs… they did their research and due diligence and got us a great deal on this fire truck that we are talking about.”
The new truck has a pumper ladder and will replace the current 30 year old pumper truck that is has been out of service for nearly 7 months. The lack of a pumper fire truck was forcing the city to have other fire departments on stand-by and Mayor Henry reminded everyone that this was something the city needed, not just wanted.
“It was a 30 year old truck and it needed to be replaced,” Henry said. “I want to thank the fire chiefs for the work they did on this and cooperating with the city of South Amboy and getting something done that was needed for the city.”
Mayor Henry and the city council also gave their condolences to the family of late South Amboy resident Francis “Inky” Norek, who passed away last Monday at the age of 87.
Norek served as a police officer in South Amboy for 25 years, retiring as a sergeant, and was also a life member of the South Amboy Fire Aid and Safety Squad and an associate member of the Protection Engine Co. of the South Amboy Fire Department. He was also a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was a member of the American Legion.
“Frank Norek was very much involved in the community for a long time… It is a great loss to the city,” Mayor Henry said. “He was the epitome of a volunteer that gave back to the town and he will be sorely missed,” added Councilman Tom Reilly.
Councilwoman Christine Noble was not in attendance. The next city council meeting will be held on April 15th at 7:00 p.m.
