The Auburn City Council will have a full morning ahead of them Thursday as they tackle more than a dozen resolutions and a presentation.

If approved, the Auburn Fire Department will welcome a new pumper to its fleet. The councilors will debate the merits of a lease-purchase agreement for $350,000 to pay for a 2008 American LaFrance Custom Pumper.

The truck is expected to last 20 years. Both city manager Mark Palesh and Fire Chief Mike Hammon repeatedly voiced the need for updated vehicles and equipment for the department.

The city put out the bid request for the truck in June and received seven responses, with prices reaching to $402,000. The lowest bidder is American LaFrance LLC of Hamburg. The company stated it can build the vehicle in 340 days, but has agreed to provide a loaner vehicle in the meantime.

The firm also offered a cash discount for leasing the vehicle and offered the highest trade-in value on surplus vehicles.

The city will pay $80,000 for five years, but can purchase the vehicle at the contract's end for $1.

Meanwhile, the Auburn Police Department may join forces with the Cayuga County Sheriff's Department to provide police assistance to each other. The county Legislature passed the resolution on June 26.

The agreement allows the agencies to work with each other, even if that requires them to work outside their usual regions of employment.

The contract is voluntary and does not place an obligation on either to respond to all requests for mutual assistance.

In other news:

€ The city council will examine changing the rules regarding the public-to-be-heard portion of meetings to limit how often people talk about the same topics. Councilors are scheduled to vote on a measure that would require a resident to wait 90 days to make statements on a particular subject he or she has already spoken about.

This measure would affect meeting regular Mary Lou Piccano, who often speaks during the meeting's public comment section about her son's 2004 arrest during which she claims an Auburn Police officer used excessive force.

City officials have chided Piccano in the past for using the officer's name who arrested her son, as well as making personal remarks directed at members of council and city employees.

Leaders say the policy will allow residents more access to elected officials.

€ Grow Auburn's Trees volunteer forester Walt Aikman will inform councilors about the removal of trees along East Genesee Street.

Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net

If you go

When: 9 a.m. Thursday

What: Auburn City Council business meeting

Who: Members of the public may attend and make comments at designated portions of the meeting.

Where: Memorial City Hall, 24 South St.