City’s Vintage Fire Truck Will Be Sold In Online Auction
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Water Valley Fire Chief Mark McGavock worked frantically to restart the vintage fire truck during the 2021 Christmas parade.
WATER VALLEY – Citing two failed attempts to get the city’s vintage GMC 1937 fire truck rolling in prior Christmas parades, a request by Water Valley Fire Chief Mark McGavock to sell the relic was unanimously approved by alderpersons.
“I have done my best, I can’t keep dumping money into this thing for one time a year,” McGavock explained during the monthly city meeting on June 6.
Following discussion, aldermen approved the request to deem the truck surplus property, giving the chief authorization to list it on an online auction for surplus government equipment.
The 1937 GMC truck was purchased new by the city and the original water pump still works. It is currently stored at the Water Valley Fire Department after McGavock had it towed from city hall in 2021 where it had been stored for almost 25 years. The truck briefly sputtered to life for the 2021 Christmas parade, motoring from the fire department to the line-up position on Main Street. The truck died just as the parade started, stranding the grand marshals and a frustrated fire chief.
The next appearance was in the 2022 Christmas parade, and again the truck was unable to make the trip up Main Street.
“I think you gave up to quick,” Ward One Ron Hart joked.
“I have given up halfway down the road in a parade this way and halfway down the road in parade the other way,” McGavock countered, a reference to the parade starting on the north end of Main in 2021 before the route reversed and starting on the south end in 2022.
The chief also explained that he had been unable to locate new tires to replace the dry-rotted tires currently on the truck.
“And now it needs brakes,” he added. “It is about six feet wide and 20 feet long. It is about 120 square feet of money pit that gets used once per year if we are lucky,” the fire chief said.
“Do y’all want to surplus this antique fire truck?” Mayor Donald Gray asked.
“I don’t think we are going to be using it in the future, it is just going to sit there and deteriorate more,” Alderman-at-Large Herbie Rogers said. “That’s go ahead and make the motion to surplus it.”
Other business in the meeting included:
• Heard a request from Hosea Bradford requesting increased enforcement for people abusing motorized wheelchairs in the city as well as speeders on Eckford Street. He said the motorized wheelchairs are often used at night and very difficult to see.
“I have never seen anybody who is handicap that can pop a wheelie,” Bradford said as he presented pictures of a motorized wheelchair on two wheels. He also said nighttime use of the wheelchairs is a safety hazard, as the wheelchairs don’t have lights or reflective signs.
“All I am saying is that they need to abide by the law pertaining to vehicles,” Bradford stressed. “It has been a problem for a long time.”
Water Valley Police Chief Jason Mangrum explained that state law gives an occupant in a wheelchair the same protection as a pedestrian.
“Yes, it is aggravating. I am hundred percent with you. But the enforcement side comes down to it is the same as a pedestrian walking down the side of the road,” Mangrum reported.
City Attorney Daniel Martin said he would research to see if the city has the option to adopt an ordinance requiring reflective strips on the wheelchairs to ensure nighttime visibility.
Bradford said his second issue was speeders on Eckford Street.
“It is a major issue… they zoom up and down the street,” Bradford said. “I just wanted to let you guys know. We are living in some strange times now, you can’t say anything to anybody. You don’t know if they will pull a gun or throw a brick through your window. I don’t want to put anybody in harm’s way, but at the same time I want everybody to stay safe.”
Alderman Freddie Folson recommended the possibility of installing speed bumps to slow the traffic.
“Speed bumps do deter speeders. When you go over one, you have to slow down,” Folson said.
The city’s vintage 1937 GMC fire truck rolled in the 2006 Christmas parade with the late Morris Surrette at the wheel. It was parked in city hall and did not move again until 2021.
