A refurbished 2005 Elgin Crosswind street sweeper purchase was approved June 5 during the City Council meeting.
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Keeping the roadways clean and free of debris will now be a little easier and more comfortable for the driver as a new street sweeper was unanimously approved for purchase during the June 5 City Council meeting.
According to Public Works Director Kevin Anderson, the new vehicle will cost $90,000, but the timeline to get the sweeper is short as it would be re-listed for sale in one week.
Anderson also added that their existing piece of equipment is an older model that needs to be replaced urgently and has brought the issue to council before.
"As I said several weeks ago our current one died," Anderson told council. "It's a mid-90's piece of equipment that's been held together by duct tape and baling wire."
"We're happy to have it as long as we have but it's done," he added.
According to Anderson the old truck had an electrical fire, and it wouldn't have made financial sense to try fixing it anymore. He also noted they have been in the market to replace it for a few years, but now the situation is much more urgent.
Anderson told council that his department has looked into figuring out the best way to work it out is to buy another sweeper, and they found a recently refurbished model in Portland, Oregon.
According to Anderson the department figured out a way to pay for it.
"We've been getting on average," Anderson said. "Grants from the Spokane Tribe in the amount of about $40,000 per year."
He continued by explaining they would allocate the rest of the funding through an inter-fund loan and that it would be paid off within two or three years.
Anderson then told council that if he wasn't able to act fast he could lose the opportunity, but that the city would also get it delivered quickly as well.
"It's ready to go and in fact if we don't pick it up this week it will be sold to someone else," Anderson said. "It's located down in Portland and once we give them the go ahead, they will drive it up."
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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