MORGAN CITY, La. — The Morgan City Finance Committee recommended approving the purchase of a new fire truck for the fire department and a new backhoe for the public works department at its meeting Thursday at City Hall.

Fire Chief Morris Price asked the committee to approve the purchase of a fire truck to replace the truck that was damaged on Nov. 1, he said. The department can get the truck from Ferrara Fire Apparatus in Holden by the end of 2012 if the council approves the purchase and if Ferrara receives a purchase order number by the end of November, Price stated in a letter to the committee.

Money had already been set aside in the city budget to purchase the truck in 2013, but $100,000 can be moved from the year-end balance to purchase the truck now, Price stated after meeting with Mayor Tim Matte and City Finance Director Deborah Garber. The new Ferrara fire truck’s proposed price is $218,898.

Public Works Director Mike Loupe asked the committee for an extra $25,000 to be able to purchase a new backhoe for $63,505.32 this year, he said. A total of $60,000 had been allocated for the backhoe purchase in 2012, but $21,494.68 of the $60,000 was reallocated for an all-steer loader, he stated in a letter to the committee.

Both purchase recommendations would have to be approved by the City Council at the next council meeting on Nov. 27 before the purchases can be made, Garber said.