Mesilla Firefighters Give Up Stipends For New Fire Truck

Firefighters in Mesilla have given up what will be hundreds of thousands of dollars in stipends for a new fire truck.

A $1.5 million bond election meant to provide funds for renovating the town's public safety building and buying a new fire truck was defeated earlier this year.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that volunteer firefighters who live out of town then offered to give up $40,000 in annual stipends for 10 years if the money could be used for a fire truck.

The town's board of trustees recently agreed to the proposal.

Mayor Nora Barraza says she's hopeful a new truck can be found within six months to replace a 1986 pumper truck.

Most of the department's vehicles have been used and purchased with state funding.

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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.