CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Agenda Date: November 15, 2021 Action Required: Approval of a Resolution to Convey a City Fire Truck to Winneba, Ghana (1st of 2 readings) Presenter: Dr. Hezedean Smith Staff Contacts: Dr. Hezedean Smith; Sam Sanders and Ashley Marshall, Deputy City Managers Title: Proposed Conveyance of City Fire Truck to Charlottesville Fire Company Background and Discussion: Engine 2, a 2003 Pierce Quantum Fire Engine was an integral part of the Charlottesville Fire Department’s fleet of equipment, providing our City with many years of fire protection. This truck served as Engine 7 and was located at the Ridge Street Fire Station for most of its career before moving to a reserve engine status. Engine 2 was the first CFD engine to have an electronic onboard foam/firefighting agent proportioning system, and it was also the first unit that was modified with additional compartmentation to serve in the hazmat engine role until Engine 10 was placed in-service in 2012. Since becoming a reserve engine, Engine 2 filled in for many of the frontline units on a day to day basis while they were out of service. Engine 2 was removed from reserve status and taken out of service in the Fall of 2020. The value of the Fire Engine is estimated to be around $25,000. We would like to make a donation of Engine 2 to the Charlottesville Fire Company. The Charlottesville Fire Company does not plan to sell the Engine, but rather to donate it, in turn, to the City of Winneba, Ghana. Through the Sister Cities Commission, Winneba has indicated a desire and a need for this fire truck. Alignment with Council Vision Areas and Strategic Plan: Our community has world-class performing, visual, and literary arts reflective of the unique character, culture, and diversity of Charlottesville. Charlottesville cherishes and builds programming around the evolving research and interpretation of our historic heritage and resources. Through City partnerships and promotion of festivals, venues, and events, all have an opportunity to be a part of this thriving arts, cultural, and entertainment scene. Protect historic and cultural resources. The historic and cultural resources in the city are economic development and tourism assets. They also represent a testament to the community’s past. The preservation of these resources is critical to protect the character of the city. The strategies and policies to preserve and sustain these resources include education, urban design, resource inventory, neighborhood conservation, resource protection, entrance corridor and other regulatory review, and technical assistance to property owners. Community Engagement: N/A. This conveyance would build upon and be a highly visible symbol of the Fire Safety Partnership with the fire departments of Charlottesville (which includes both CFD and CFC, reference City Code 12-15) and Winneba, Ghana. Budgetary Impact: This has no impact on the General Fund if donated as proposed. Legal Review: Section 15.2-953 of the Virginia Code authorizes a locality to make donations to charitable institutions or associations engaged in various activities/ missions, and also authorizes a locality to make donations to “another governmental entity located in our outside the Commonwealth, within the United States”, see 15.2-953(B). Neither Winneba itself, nor the Charlottesville- Winneba Foundation, appears to clearly fall within the categories of activities expressly referenced within Va. Code §15.2-953 (status as a charitable organization is not sufficient, in and of itself). However, the City Attorney’s Office has indicated that City Council may consider a proposed conveyance of the Fire Engine to the Charlottesville Fire Company, which is willing to engage with both CFD and Winneba, in respect of the City’s long-standing sister city relationship directly with Winneba. (See the attached correspondence from CFC) Recommendation: The Fire Chief and Deputy City Managers recommend a donation of Engine 2 to the Charlottesville Fire Company, for ultimate transfer to Winneba, Ghana. Alternatives: If the request to convey Engine 2 to CFC is not approved, the Fire Chief recommends the engine be turned over to Purchasing for sale/disposal as surplus property. Attachments: (1) Proposed Resolution (2) Correspondence from Charlottesville Fire Company RESOLUTION APPROVING A CONVEYANCE OF A 2003 PIERCE QUANTUM FIRE ENGINE TO THE CHARLOTTESVILLE-WINNEBA FOUNDATION WHEREAS, the Charlottesville-Winneba Foundation has requested the City to donate to it certain property, specifically a 2003 Pierce Quantum Fire truck (the “Fire Engine”), vehicle identification number 4P1CT02S73A003437; and WHEREAS, the Fire Engine is currently in storage, and the City has no plans to use the Fire Engine for the provision of firefighting services in the future, and staff estimates the value of the Fire Engine to be around ($25,000). WHEREAS, pursuant to Virginia Code Sec. 15.2-953 City Council desires to convey the Fire Engine to the Charlottesville Fire Company, for eventual transfer to the City of Winneba, Ghana, through cooperative efforts between CFC and the Sister Cities Commission; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE that the Charlottesville City Manager is hereby authorized to convey all of the City’s rights, title and ownership interest in the Fire Engine to the Charlottesville Fire Company, in order that the Charlottesville Fire Company, in cooperation with the Sister Cities Commission, may arrange for the transfer and transportation of the Fire Engine to the City of Winneba, Ghana for its public use. CHARLOTTESVILLE FIRE COMPANY P.O. Box 406 Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 Chief Hezedean Smith 2420 Fontaine Ave. Chartottesville, VA 22903 September23,2021 Chief Smith, Having heard of the need for a fire engine for our sister dty In Ghana, and, realfzlng that the cfty was wishing to dispose of the reserve engine known as Engine 2, the Charlottesville Volunteer Fire Company Is requesting the Charlottesville Fire Department donate Engine 2 to our orsanizatlon, with the understanding that we would then donate the enslne to Ghana. This would be our way of partfcipatfns In the partnership wtth a fire department outside of our own Jurisdiction but doing the same work that we do. As a 501-c-3 organization, we understand that such a donation may be legally made. It should also be understood that the Chartottesvllle Volunteer Fire Company wlll not be responsible _ f or any shipping costs associated with the donation and that the Chartottesvllle Fire Department wlll facilitate the transferto Ghana. Thank you for your consideration. Ii- Taliaferro, Chief Charlottesville (Volunteer) Are Company JT/btm