Columbus City Hall has found a new battleground, and this one actually involves a fire truck. On Monday, Mayor Andrew Ginther publicly accused the City Council of dragging its feet on approving a contract for a new fire engine, warning that every extra day of delay chips away at the department’s readiness.
Flanked by interim fire leadership and the city’s firefighters union, Ginther used a May 4 press conference to crank up the pressure. Standing beside Interim Fire Chief Dave Baugh and IAFF Local 67 president Steve Stein, he said his administration has had legislation ready for a vote for 55 days. According to the mayor’s office, the proposed contract is with Sutphen Corporation of Dublin, the lower bidder at roughly $1.26 million, with an estimated 17 to 19 month build time that the administration argues is both cheaper and faster than the alternative. This account was reported by The Columbus Dispatch.
Council: Vote Scheduled For May 11
Council members are not exactly thrilled with being cast as the holdup. Public Safety Committee chair Emmanuel Remy countered that the legislation is already on the calendar for a May 11 vote and said he has pressed for delivery assurances because Sutphen is tied up in a labor dispute. Remy also faulted the mayor for not flagging the timing concern earlier, arguing that his questions amount to basic oversight, not obstruction, as reported by NBC4 WCMH-TV.
A Fraught Supplier History
Behind the sparring is a not-so-quiet history with the same manufacturer. Sutphen has been locked in a long-running labor fight, and council members are still wary after last year’s ladder truck drama, when a prior order’s delivery was at risk. That episode pushed the council to insist on stronger delivery-assurance language and to keep other vendors in play. The earlier turmoil has made some members more cautious about signing off on timelines and costs, according to reporting by WOSU Public Media.
What Fire Leaders Warn
Interim Chief Baugh told reporters that the Division of Fire is not currently facing a gap in its ability to respond to emergencies, but he noted that backup units are now being used almost as heavily as front-line apparatus. With new engines taking close to two years to arrive, Ginther argues the clock is already ticking. “Each day that council holds this legislation increases risk,” he said at the press conference, urging members to move ahead, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.
Council is set to take up the measure at its May 11 meeting. If the legislation is approved, members will still have to decide whether to stick with the Sutphen order as framed or press for more detailed delivery guarantees. For now, both the administration and council leaders insist they are trying to walk the line between protecting public safety and shielding taxpayers from unnecessary risk.
