TEXAS TOWNSHIP, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Ahead of an August 4 millage request to help fund operations, Kalamazoo County’s Texas Township has received state funding specifically designated to purchase a new fire truck.
The $650,000 restricted appropriation will cover the replacement cost of a large capacity 2500-gallon tanker tender truck and is part of the state’s Legislatively Directed Spending Items in the 2026-2027 budget passed last week.
Texas Township Supervisor Dr. JoAnne O’Rourke said, “This was an urgent safety need and we owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Sean McCann and Representative Matt Longjohn for fighting for funds to protect our community.”
O’Rourke says the award marks a strategic shift in the Township’s capital request strategy. An unfunded proposal last year sought a standard fire truck valued at $1.1 million, whereas this successful application targeted a different, less expensive stock model 2,500-gallon water tanker, costing $650,000. The new truck will replace a 26-year old tanker.
Township officials say the state appropriation can only be spent on the water tanker, not to help offset a proposed nine-year fire millage on the August 4 ballot. The millage would pay for operational needs like staffing, turn-out gear, training, facilities, and ongoing fleet maintenance. It would also fund an additional full-time firefighter per shift, as well as a full-time fire marshal for Texas Township.
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