Supes seek funding for ladder truck

CANTON — A new ladder fire truck to help provide fire protection to the Madison County Megasite which will be home to an Amazon fulfillment center and other prospective tenants would cost between $1.2 and $1.3 million, officials said.

During Monday’s Madison County Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors agreed after an executive session on economic development issues, to seek avenues of funding for fire protection for the facility, including a ladder truck.

Supervisors unanimously agreed to ask state leaders to help fund the purchase of a fire truck to offer fire protection for the Madison County Megasite.

Madison County Board of Supervisors President Karl Banks said board members are exploring all options for sources of funding for fire protection at the Megasite.

“We are looking for options to make sure we do it right and for funding available out there for options to save the taxpayers’ money,” Banks said.

Amazon announced in November that it plans to locate a fulfillment center that could bring as many as 1,000 full-time jobs to the area on 69 acres in the Madison County Megasite. The fulfillment center is expected to be operational before the end of the year.