Marble Falls pays off new fire engine with savings on station construction
Marble Falls Fire Rescue has one fire engine, but it could be getting another one by July. Staff photo by Maci Cottingham
Marble Falls has approved allocating $1.19 million towards an engine for Fire Station No. 2, which is scheduled for completion in May 2027 near the Thunder Rock development.
City Council approved funding for the engine during its Tuesday, June 16, meeting after the 8,500-square-foot Fire Station No. 2 project came in under budget at about $5.46 million. That left about $1.36 million in remaining funds from the city’s $6.82 million certificate of obligation, a bond used to fund city projects.
The floating funds will now allow the city to purchase the fire engine outright rather than continue leasing it, in addition to covering $95,119 in roof repairs at Fire Station No. 1. The new engine should be delivered within the next two weeks according to the city.
The fire engine was ordered in 2023 under a Turn-In Lease Program, which allowed the city to lease the apparatus while it was being built and spread payments over time. If the remaining bond funds had not become available, the city would have continued under that lease structure, with ongoing payments throughout the engine’s service life and added pressure to the annual operating budget.
Assistant City Manager Russell Sander said the engine is expected to serve through the 20-year life of the bond, with about 10 years in frontline service and 10 years in reserve service.