Washington’s City Council, during its Nov. 23 meeting, authorized spending $448,995 on an in-stock/demonstration 2015 Pierce fire engine from Atlantic Emergency Solutions.

Earlier this year, the Washington City Council approved $450,000 for a new front-line fire engine. But discrepancies, including one concerning the year model, with that new apparatus were discovered by department personnel during an inspection of the vehicle, according to Robbie Rose, the city’s fire chief. After noticing the discrepancies, the department terminated that purchase.

“Robbie, I applaud the fact that you caught the discrepancies before you accepted the truck, which is a real plus for us because it’s something that C.W. Williams Co. advanced you information that was incorrect, then tried to pull the wool over your eyes,” Councilman Doug Mercer said to Robbie Rose, the city’s fire chief.

“Actually, it was the manufacturer that made the error, not the dealership (C.W. Williams Co.),” Rose responded.

“When the manufacturer sent the truck to the dealership, went over to make the inspection and that’s when we discovered the discrepancies in the title and the actual born-on date of the truck, as I said, was inconsistent with the information that I had given this council. So, that threw the first red flag up,” Rose said.

After terminating that deal, the department sent requests to seven fire-engine vendors for bids to provide the department with in-stock/demonstration models. An eighth vendor contacted the department about submitting its bid, Rose noted in a memorandum to city officials. After reviewing the proposals, the department recommended the city buy the Pierce fire engine.

The Pierce fire engine best meets the immediate needs of the department for a front-line fire engine, according to Rose.

In other action, the council authorized the city to accept a $32,000 grant from the Mid-East Commission Area Agency on Aging. The annual grant will be used to support programs and services provided by city’s Grace Harwell Martin Senior Center. Under terms of the grant, it is required to provide a $6,000 contribution.