Floods, Fraud & The Cause Of Increased Rural Fire Coverage
- George Tanguy
- May 31
- 9 min read
The 2018 flooding event in Tracy, Minnesota, was one of the most challenging emergencies the community had faced in years. Approximately 5.6 inches of rain fell in a short period, overwhelming drainage systems, flooding streets, and placing tremendous strain on city infrastructure.
As emergency responders worked to protect homes, businesses, and public utilities, the Tracy Fire Department found itself operating well outside the normal scope of firefighting duties. During city council meetings held in July and August 2018, Tracy Fire Chief Dale Johnson described the extensive efforts undertaken by the department and the resulting damage sustained by department equipment.
According to statements made during city council meetings, fire department personnel assisted the municipal department in managing flood-related infrastructure failures. Chief Johnson discussed how fire department trucks were utilized to pump sewage from sanitary sewer access points and discharge it into the storm water system in an effort to relieve pressure on overwhelmed sanitary sewer lines during the emergency.
A former Tracy Firefighter saw the fire trucks assisting the City of Tracy maintenance department by using the fire trucks to pump raw sewage that was co-mixed with storm water and raised concerns. Knowing the limitations of fire pumps and the potential damages that could be caused such as large solids, grease and sludge, and abrasive materials. Those materials can clog, damage, or reduce the life performance of the fire pump.
Link to Fire Truck Pump Specialist Below
Several fire truck specialists had been reached out to regarding the use of the Tracy fire department trucks. Those conversations where very informative to the relevant nature of the use of city owned equipment.
The flood response came at a cost.
Link to July 9, 2018 City Council Meeting Below
At the July 9, 2018 Tracy City Council meeting, Johnson reported that multiple fire department vehicles had sustained water-related damage. He informed the council that several vehicles were out of service and that neighboring departments were providing mutual aid coverage while repairs and evaluations were underway.
Johnson reported that:
The rescue pumper had developed alternator and charging system problems attributed to water exposure.
All three grass-rig trucks had suffered damage.
One pump truck had sustained significant damage.
Several vehicles were being evaluated as potential total losses.
The department was relying on temporary measures and mutual aid assistance to maintain service levels.
Despite the equipment issues, Johnson assured the council that the department remained operational.
Link to July 23, 2018 City Council Meeting Below
At the July 23, 2018 Tracy City Council meeting, the capital improvements fund topic was discussed and continued talk about the purchase of new fire trucks and moving forward. Then Fire Chief Dale Johnson Discussed the purchase of Trucks and made the remark “The Trucks are ordered so I just need you too nod” The Council laughed but in hindsight this was another expense not fully broken down.
Link to August 20, 2018 City Council Meeting Below
Just over a month later, during the August 20, 2018 special city council meeting, Johnson provided another update regarding the damaged fleet.
His remarks painted a dire picture.
"Just kind of want to bring you guys up to speed because if he does come in and total the vehicles that he's alluding he's going to total out, we will have half of our fleet being towed away from the fire hall by the end of the week. Three pickups and one pump truck will be leaving."
The statement suggested that insurance evaluations could result in the removal of four vehicles from service, representing a significant portion of the department's fleet.
For many residents, those statements appeared to establish a clear understanding: the flood had severely damaged multiple fire department vehicles, and several were expected to be declared total losses. But more questions needed to be asked.
Then came the auctions.
In late 2020, several former Tracy Fire Department vehicles appeared on the Minnesota surplus auction market. Among them was a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD grass-rig truck that had reportedly been among the vehicles discussed following the 2018 flood.
Before bidding, one prospective buyer contacted City of Tracy Maintenance Director Shane Daniels to ask about the vehicles.
According to the buyer, Daniels stated that the trucks had not been totaled and that the city intended to retain two of the former grass-rig trucks for maintenance department use while auctioning others. Daniels reportedly disclosed several known issues, including missing batteries and wheel and tire changes, but did not describe the vehicles as suffering catastrophic damage. The conversation was asked to stay between the two as the potential bidder didn’t want anyone to know of possible bidding.
Based on those representations, the buyer submitted a bid and became the successful purchaser of the 2001 Silverado on November 25, 2020.
After taking possession, the buyer conducted a thorough mechanical inspection.
According to the buyer, no major flood-related mechanical failures were discovered. Fluids were replaced as a precaution due to the absence of maintenance records. During inspection, an engine control module connection was found not fully seated and was cleaned and secured. An electrical short was also discovered where a battery cable had rubbed against the frame, creating an intermittent grounding issue capable of causing engine shutdowns and anti-theft system activation.
The buyer reports that those repairs required minimal expense and only a short amount of labor.
More notably, the vehicle carried a standard title rather than a salvage title.
(Picture Of Truck Title Can Be Found At The Bottom Of Story)
When the Truck was thoroughly checked and new tires installed. The Truck made its way back to the home of a Tracy resident. That following morning Police Chief Jason Lichty was seen driving by several times and was reached out to by text. The conversation follows, Hey Jason everything is legal and legit. Jason Lichty’s response was No problem, just admiring the plates. That week followed by an inside source reaching out from the Tracy Fire Department that Fire Chief Dale Johnson was upset and wanted to find a way for the truck to be seized. During that conversation a person unnamed in the meeting made a comment that upset Dale.
Why would the Tracy fire Chief not want decommissioned Tracy Fire Trucks to remain in the community? Like the rain washing away peoples personal items during the flood event. Gone and sadly forgotten.
Since purchasing the truck, the owner reports putting more than 100,000 miles on the vehicle while towing a work camper without experiencing major mechanical problems. But in Dale’s presentation to the Council none of the trucks were capable of doing so.
The discrepancy between the condition of the truck and the public discussion surrounding flood damage has fueled ongoing questions within the community.
Residents familiar with the vehicle have frequently questioned how a truck publicly associated with potential total-loss discussions could later return to service with relatively minor repairs and continue operating reliably for years.
The issue has expanded beyond the condition of a single vehicle.
Critics argue that taxpayers deserve a complete accounting of what happened to the flood-damaged fleet, including insurance determinations, repair estimates, settlement decisions, vehicle dispositions, and replacement expenditures.
More than seven years after the flood, one question continues to surface among residents:
If vehicles discussed publicly as possible total losses were later retained, repurposed, auctioned, and returned to service, what exactly did the final insurance findings conclude?
The answer may already exist within city records, insurance documentation, vehicle title histories, and council meeting archives. For many taxpayers, the issue is no longer about a single truck. It is about whether government officials have fully explained how public assets were managed following one of Tracy's most significant emergency events.
Questions have also been raised regarding overall fire department spending, the cost of rural fire contracts, and the financial burden placed on city residents and township taxpayers.
With growing frustrations emerging among rural farmers and taxpayers as rural fire coverage rates continue to increase year after year. Many residents are asking why costs keep rising and whether sufficient accountability exists regarding how fire district funds are being managed and spent.
Farmers say the repeated rate increases place an additional financial burden on already strained agricultural operations. At the same time, some taxpayers have raised concerns about equipment purchases, budgeting decisions, and overall fiscal responsibility within the fire coverage system.
Critics argue that greater transparency is needed so both City of Tracy taxpayers and rural property owners can better understand where their money is going and what measures are being taken to control costs. They are calling for detailed financial reporting, public discussion of major expenditures, and stronger oversight of future spending decisions.
Supporters of increased funding note that fire protection services face rising equipment, maintenance, and operational costs. However, many residents believe a thorough review of spending practices is necessary to ensure taxpayers receive the best value for every dollar collected.
As rates continue to climb, local officials may face increasing pressure to provide answers and demonstrate responsible stewardship of public funds...
Supporters of the department note that emergency situations often require rapid decisions under difficult conditions and that initial damage assessments may differ substantially from final insurance determinations.
In the last rural fire contract meeting the last week of July 2025, City Council members Jeri Schons, George Landuyt and City Administrator Jeff Carpenter had many things to discuss. Jeff Carpenter stating “I Don’t know where I’m going to get $800,000” regarding a new fire truck purchase scheduled for 2028. Jeri Schons made comments about residents asking about being on the hook for equipment that is used solely in rural areas and on farm sites. George Landuyt who is not only a City Council member but is also the Uncle of Fire Chief Dale Johnson and seems fully supportive of decisions made by Fire Chief Dale Johnson. His statement - Townships must look beyond just what fire protection costs and appreciate the importance of keeping firefighters safe with things like updated PPE and turnout gear. “It’s our duty to keep them safe and that costs money”
(Tracy Headlight Herald Article Can Be Found At The Bottom Of Story)
Farmers question these comments and statements and compare other adjacent Fire Department spending and those Departments are providing similar services at a lower Fire Department Budget. Why the big budgetary difference with Tracy Fire Department?
Additional controversy has emerged from allegations regarding the use of city-owned equipment and concerns raised by former department members regarding department management and leadership practices. Those allegations remain matters of public debate and opinion, and community members continue to call for greater transparency regarding departmental operations and oversight.
2025 Tracy four hanger airport project
Link To 4 Hanger Airport Project Video Below
In the fall of 2025 a video and photographic evidence sent to Tracy Minnesota Accountability & Corruption shows a City of Tracy fire truck being used on the four-hangar airport construction project awarded by the City of Tracy. The person in the video and pictures is Tracy Fire Chief Dale Johnson.
The project was completed by a construction company owned by Tracy Fire Chief Dale Johnson, raising questions about the use of city-owned equipment on a project connected to a private business owned by a city official.
The images and video appear to show the Tracy Fire Department truck being used to assist with watering and establishing turf at the airport hangar development. While the presence of the vehicle on the project site is documented, several questions remain unanswered regarding authorization, reimbursement, and whether the use complied with city policies.
(Contract Documents Can Be Seen At Bottom Of Story)
Among the questions taxpayers deserve answered are:
• Was the City of Tracy reimbursed for the use of the fire truck?
• If reimbursement occurred, what amount was paid for fuel, maintenance, wear and tear, and equipment use?
•Who authorized the use of the fire department vehicle on the construction project?
• Was the use of the truck documented in city records?
• Did the Tracy City Council approve or have knowledge of the equipment being used on the project?
•Were other contractors bidding on the airport hangar project informed that city-owned equipment could be utilized for project-related work?
•Would competing contractors have submitted lower bids if they had access to the same city resources?
•Did access to a city-owned fire truck provide a financial or competitive advantage that was unavailable to other bidders?
•Does the City of Tracy have a written policy governing the use of fire department equipment for non-emergency private construction purposes?
•Were any conflict-of-interest concerns reviewed before the equipment was used on a project involving a company owned by the city's Fire Chief?
The issue is not whether the truck was present on the project site—the video and photographs clearly document its use. The central questions are whether the use was properly authorized, whether taxpayers were reimbursed for the costs associated with that use, and whether all contractors competing for public projects were afforded the same opportunities and resources.
Public confidence in local government depends on transparency and accountability. When city-owned equipment is used on a project connected to a private business owned by a public official, residents have a legitimate interest in understanding how decisions were made and whether public assets were used in accordance with city policy.
The Citizens of Tracy request a comment regarding the use of the fire truck, reimbursement records, authorization for the equipment's use, and any policies governing the use of municipal assets on private construction projects. Any responses received will be included in future coverage.
We remain hopeful as we move forward that transparency and accountability will once again become guiding principles in the City of Tracy. We look forward to a future where the City Council, administration, and department heads place the public interest first, minimize conflicts of interest, and demonstrate true fiscal responsibility in the stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Truck Title
Tracy Fire Trucks
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