ATHENS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio University will chip in $250,000 for the new ladder fire truck in school's southeast Ohio hometown.

The Athens fire department needs a ladder truck to send on fire calls to buildings four stories tall or higher. The Athens Messenger quotes Athens City Councilwoman Christine Fahl ( http://bit.ly/nTxb2S ) as saying 85 percent of buildings that size in the city are on the OU campus.

Council President Bill Bias said during a meeting Tuesday that university President Roderick McDavis sent a letter saying the school would pay $50,000 in each of the next five years.

Athens bought the truck in May at a cost of just over $1 million and asked the university for help paying for it.

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Information from: The Athens Messenger, http://www.athensmessenger.com/