For City Council Meeting April 14, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: Christopher P. Jensen, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to: 1) Authorize the Lease to Purchase of Two (2) Smeal Type I Fire Engines, One (1) Smeal 107’ Aerial Truck, Equipment, Modifications, and Installation of Emergency Equipment for a Total Cost of $5,749,032.07; Financed at 4.65% Per Annum (5 Year Lease Purchase) with Community Leasing Partners, a Division of Community First National Bank; and 2) Authorize the City Manager or Designee to Execute all Related Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Authorize the lease to purchase of two (2) Smeal Type I Fire Engines, one (1) Smeal 107’ Aerial Truck, Equipment, Modifications, and Installation of Emergency Equipment from Rev Group Inc. in the amount of $5,749,032.07; financed through Community Leasing Partners, a Division of Community First National Bank; and,
2) Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all related documents.
BACKGROUND
The Rialto Fire Department depends on a reliable fleet of fire apparatus to maintain emergency response readiness. The current fleet includes eight fire engines: four frontline and four reserve units and two fire trucks: one frontline and one reserve. Many of the reserve apparatus are aged and have reached the end of operational and technological service life, meaning they no longer meet current performance standards, NFPA 1901 safety features, and cost-effectiveness expectations for frontline or reserve emergency response. Three of the units are recommended for immediate replacement:
• Type I Engine F097 - 20 years of service
• Type I Engine F0108 - 19 years of service
• Aerial Truck F092 - 22 years of service
These units scored an “F” under the American Public Works Association (APWA) Fleet Replacement Guidelines, indicating immediate replacement is necessary due to age, maintenance cost, and operational reliability concerns (Attachment 1).
The lease-to-purchase of two new Smeal Type I Engines and one Smeal 107’ Aerial Truck will enable the department to reassign current frontline units that have a continuous increase in age, engine hours, and maintenance costs into reserve status and decommission F092, F097, and F0108. Once decommissioned, these units will be surplused through the formal City process. These changes are essential to maintaining service delivery and reducing costly unplanned maintenance.
This will also continue a significant strategic change for the department, which for over two decades has exclusively purchased Pierce fire engines. However, due to ongoing challenges with Pierce-including:
• An unsustainable lead time for new fire apparatus - 1250 days
• Dependence on proprietary components that are consistently on backorder
• Prolonged apparatus downtimes without adequate customer service support during repairs
Additionally, this lease-to-purchase will also include the required hose, ladders, and essential equipment, which previously needed to be procured independently, in addition to the mounting of the equipment, which will all be done by the vendor before delivery and acceptance. This represents a significant reduction in cost, staff time, and the time to place the apparatus into service.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Smeal, a division of REV Group Inc., offers competitive pricing, quality craftsmanship, and more favorable lead times-currently estimated at 800 days for the engine and 950 days for the truck. These advantages directly address the department’s urgent need to replace the aging fleet and avoid further strain on frontline units. Utilizing the Fire Apparatus Grading Sheet, F092, F097, and F0108 have surpassed optimal service life and have logged significant engine hours and mileage while requiring extensive maintenance-each receiving a failing grade.
This underscores the immediate necessity for replacements to ensure continued operational readiness, firefighter safety, and community protection. The new Smeal Type I Engines and Aerial Truck will incorporate enhanced safety features, updated operational technology, and more accessible serviceability, ensuring improved fleet reliability and lifecycle value.
The Purchase will be completed through the cooperative purchase program, Sourcewell. In 2011, the City of Rialto entered an Interlocal contract with Sourcewell to participate in its cooperative purchasing program. In 2022, the City of Rialto renewed the agreement with Sourcewell. Sourcewell is a “Government-to-Government” procurement service available nationwide. This cooperative purchasing program assists local governments in reducing costs by capitalizing on bulk purchasing power and pre-established competitive bids. Pursuant to the provisions of the City’s Purchasing Ordinance, Section 2.48.210, “Cooperative Purchasing Programs”, the City Council may authorize the acquisition through joint powers or other cooperative purchasing program.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not meet the definition of a “project” under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. The purchase of fire apparatus constitutes an administrative activity involving the acquisition of equipment and does not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Pursuant to Section 15378(b)(2), continuing administrative or maintenance activities, including the purchase of supplies and equipment, are not considered projects under CEQA. Additionally, Section 15378(b)(5) excludes organizational and administrative activities of governments that will not result in environmental impacts. As the acquisition of fire apparatus does not involve construction, land use changes, or any commitment to a physical environmental modification, no further CEQA review is required.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
This purchase supports the City of Rialto’s General Plan, particularly:
Goal 5-3.1: Provide fire personnel, equipment, and fire stations to have adequate and appropriate resources to meet the needs and serve all areas of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report and its attachments.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
Operating Budget Impact
There is no impact on the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
As proposed, the acquisition of two (2) Smeal Type I Fire Engines and one (1) Smeal 107-foot Aerial Truck, including equipment, modifications, and installation of emergency equipment, for a total cost of $5,749,032.07, will be financed through Community Leasing Partners, a division of Community First National Bank. The financing will be structured as a five-year lease-purchase agreement at an annual interest rate of 4.65% with an annual payment of $1,286,450.04 for five (5) Years.
Funds have been approved and budgeted within the FY2025/2026 Fire Department Capital Lease Payment accounts. The lease payment in the amount of $1,286,450.04 will be disbursed within 30 days of approval from the following accounts:
• Capital Lease Payment Account No. 33005174-54050
• Capital Lease Payment Account No. 22095175-54050
Additionally, annual lease payments will be incorporated into the budget for each year of the five-year lease-purchase term.
Licensing
This action does not require a business license.
ATTACHMENTS
1. APWA Grading Scale of Current Fleet
2. Rialto Specific Decision-Making Matrix
3. Apparatus Pricing
4. Community Leasing Partners Finance Options
5. REV Group Sourcewell Contract
6. Smeal Unibody Engine Specifications
7. KME Predator TDA Specifications