City officials are continuing their efforts to find a permanent display location for Milpitas' historic fire truck, Leapin' Lena, including the Milpitas Historical Society-preferred site inside the new parking garage next to the Milpitas Public Library on North Main Street.

Milpitas City Council unanimously voted April 15 to nix city staff's latest alternate recommendation to store the more than 75-year-old fire truck at Jose Maria Alviso Adobe.

Instead, the council directed city staffers to gather more information about protecting the converted 1932 farm truck from potential vandalism and to continue exploring potential display sites in Milpitas.

With regard to protecting the vehicle, Steve Erickson, the city's library project manager, told council members Milpitas Historical Society suggested the city contact Roadrunner Glass to have the fire truck fully encased.

"As requested by the historical society we contacted Roadrunner Glass to see if they could provide a display similar to what was apparently provided in the GreatMall," Erickson said.

He said Roadrunner proposed a structure of steel tubing, aluminum framing and structural glass. But Erickson added that when the company checked out the garage site, the design and engineering effort appeared too daunting.

"(Roadrunner) requested that the city provide the engineering, design and permitting for such a structure," he said. "To date, they are unable to provide us with an estimate or any details as

to how to provide this type of display within the garage."

Erickson added the city estimated design and permitting costs for a glass enclosure to be in the range of $25,000 to $30,000, plus an additional $50,000 for construction.

He said this proposal was about $30,000 more than the city had budgeted for design and construction of the display and therefore did not recommend this concept. Instead, staff's recommendation was to house the fire truck at the Alviso Adobe.

Vice Mayor Bob Livengood said he received a call from Roadrunner Glass, to meet with company representatives and talk about the project.

Though he planned to meet with the firm, Livengood said he believed such a project would have to go through a formal bidding process. Also, the vice mayor said he was not happy about keeping the fire truck in a glass encasement.

"I just have this real bad feeling it's going to be a maintenance nightmare the second that it gets scratched; graffiti even could be a problem," he said. "The more I look at this, the less I like it."

Mayor Jose Esteves claimed he too got a call from Roadrunner to meet, and would likely do so. But the mayor also questioned the need to make a decision right away on locating the fire truck.

"Is there some reason for urgency?" Esteves asked.

Erickson told council members that funding issues were linked to the garage location, where the library's former project manager planned the fire truck to rest.

"It could be delayed, however, the garage project was providing the funding ($50,000) for the (fire truck display)," Erickson said. "And I believe that project will be closed toward the end of the year or soon after. So funding would have to come from another source once the garage is complete."

Esteves suggested that if it is necessary, the city could allocate other funds for a different site. However, the mayor still favored parking the fire truck at the garage instead of the Alviso Adobe.

Esteves as well as other council members suggested that city staff, over the next two to three months, come up with other options for the fire truck project.

Residents, including members of Milpitas Historical Society, voiced their goals for the fire truck.

Craig Bunnell said he believed Leapin' Lena (so named because of how hard the truck jumped into gear), needed to be in downtown Milpitas, not at the Alviso Adobe. He added the fire truck was formerly housed in the old fire station across from Smith's Corner on Main Street.

"She's our first fire truck; she doesn't belong out in the fringes of Milpitas," he said. "I hate to say that because I love the Alviso Adobe, but she doesn't need to be there. She needs to be in town where she actually worked."

Barbara Gomes Bowman, Milpitas Historical Society president, asked the council for a time extension.

"We need an extension to try to come up with a different option, other than what's been presented because Lena needs to be here... she has to be on Main Street," Bowman said.

Pioneer family member Ted Weller told the council how his family had been part owner of the fire truck, then sold it for $50 in the early 1970s.

"It had been used for a truck; apricot orchards, walnut orchards, things like that," he said.

Weller added that he would like to see Leapin' Lena in the library garage, perhaps blocked off with a guardrail or possibly a less expensive clear plastic covering.

In the end, the council desired more specific and detailed information about protecting and placing the fire truck in more locations, including the library garage.