Highway Tandem Truck Replacement
COMPLETED
Project outcome: The Town owns 3 Tandem Trucks which work year-round to perform highway maintenance. The truck we are looking to replace was purchased in 2003. Each truck we own has a 15-year life span. On that timeline, this truck should have been replaced in 2018. However, no action was taken by the Town Council at that time and the Town has been paying deferred maintenance costs on this truck since that time. In July of 2021, the Town Council approved Resolution #110-2021 to purchase a new tandem truck.
Cost: $225,012.09 (please see Resolution #110-2021 in the minutes of July 1, 2021 for details)
Funding Sources: Capital Reserves and a 5-year term bond. The Town plans to continue to budget $20,000 annually for the purchase of future highway trucks in a 5-year rotation.
Timeline: November 2022
“New” 2016 Freightliner with 80,000 miles on it from the Town of Lincoln (VT). This will replace our aged out 2008 tandem truck and reduce expenses for repairs and parts on the older truck.
Additional notes: At their December 2020 meeting, the Town Council authorized a Heavy Equipment Rotation Plan to ensure that purchases of major equipment are made in timely fashion to not overburden the taxpayer and to maintain safe and modern equipment for our Highway crew.
At their October 2022 meeting, the Town Council approved (Resolution 156-2022) spending no more than $85,000.00 from their Highway Fund Balance to purchase a used 2016 Freightliner with plow and wing from the Town of Lincoln (VT) to replace the aging out 2008 Freighliner we currently own. This purchase is being made to reduce contractual machinery costs in the 2023 budget, which would severely hinder the Town’s ability to pass a budget close to the tax cap.