Matawan is seeking a buyer for this surplus 1977 firetruck. GREG KENNELTY/STAFF MATAWAN — The borough will begin accepting bids from anyone interested in acquiring a circa-1977 firetruck in September.
According to Borough Administrator Louis Ferrara, it’s not unusual for surplus equipment to go up for sale to the general public.
“This is very common,” he said. “If you go online you will see lots of firetrucks for sale.”
The Fire Department had recently purchased a used truck from the Cheesequake Volunteer Fire Company in Old Bridge that is “newer and more advanced” than the department’s current one.
The 1977 truck will be advertised in several local newspapers contingent upon the Borough Council’s approval of the sale at the Sept. 3, meeting. The minimum bid will be $5,000.
“It is amazing how many people want it. We immediately got a ton of calls about the price when they found out about it and how we could potentially set up a sale,” Ferrara said. “The money we will get from the sale of the truck will go right to the borough, to our general funds.”
He said the truck is in great shape and was just recently taken out of the Matawan Borough Fire Department lineup of vehicles. Any interested party, ranging from business owners to residents, can buy the truck, according to Ferrara.
“Obviously, you can’t drive it around with lights on. Some people use it for dust control and watering farms. It has a pump on it, so it pumps water,” he said. “I also heard from a guy who belongs to a campground, and they wanted a truck in case of a fire.”
Ferrara said there are collectors and bar or restaurant owners who use them as an attraction.
“You never know who is going to buy it,” he said.
Ferrara said the borough recently sold an older firetruck to an interested party for $2,200, though the truck was not functional.
“We sold it to someone for parts,” he said. “… It just sat here, and rather than let it continue to sit and fall apart, we sold it.”