Lafayette City approves renewed fire-protection contract with Fairfield Township; township funding to support $748,060 tanker purchase

Lafayette City on Jan. 29 approved a renewal of a 2026 contract with Fairfield Township that funds fire protection for the township’s unincorporated areas and anticipates township support for purchasing a new tanker truck.

A Fire Department representative told the body the 2025 agreement deferred a $100,000 payment into 2026 “in lieu of purchasing a new tanker truck” and said the tanker is a large vehicle that “carries 25, 2,000, 2,500 gallons of water.” The representative said the tanker is intended for parts of the township that lack fire hydrants or city water; the unit was quoted at $748,060 with delivery expected in early 2027. The chair called for a motion to renew the contract; the motion and second were made and the council approved the renewal by voice vote.

Jeremy Deal, city controller, did not raise objections during the discussion; council members asked questions about the tanker purchase and were told the city and township will revisit and renegotiate the arrangement next year. The contract language discussed includes the deferred $100,000 payment and an understanding that the township will provide funds to the city to purchase the truck.

Why it matters: The tanker fills a practical need for firefighting in parts of Fairfield Township that lack hydrants, and the funding arrangement shifts capital acquisition responsibilities between the township and the city. The timetable—purchase in 2026 and delivery in early 2027—means the apparatus will not be immediately available, and the agreement is subject to renegotiation in the subsequent contract cycle.

Next steps: The council approved the renewal and the participants said they will renegotiate the contract in the next cycle; delivery of the tanker is anticipated in early 2027.