Public Works to trade in Tymco for $12,500
By John Faucher
The City of New London Board of Public Works Committee approved purchasing a new street sweeper for $181,949 at its Monday, Nov. 2 meeting.
The cost of the 2015 Pelican Sweeper is $194,449. As part of the sale, the city would trade in its 2002 Tymco sweeper to Bruce Municipal Equipment for $12,500.
Street Superintendant Don Goodreau and city mechanic Rick Hottenstine spent considerable time with salespeople talking about the purchase. They also looked at a demo model of the 2015 Pelican sweeper.
“We’ve had plenty of experience with the Pelican in the past,” said Goodreau. “They’re not as mechanically sensitive as the machine we have now,” he said.
He also said the Pelican is capable of picking up larger items more effectively than the current vacuum sweeper.
Alderman Dennis Herter, a retired Street Department employee, said in his experience workers did not have any major problems with a Pelican style sweeper they previously owned.
Public Works Director Jeff Bodoh informed the committee that the sweeper was one of the items on the 2016-17 bond list; however, they were requesting purchasing the 2015 model to avoid dealing with tier four emission control requirements in 2016.
“If we waited until next year, we may have to purchase a 2016 sweeper, and that would have the tier four diesel emissions on it,” said Bodoh. “This would add to the price of the sweeper and affect the power of the engine.”
Alderman Tom O’Connell asked how they would pay for the purchase.
Bodoh said they would ask the finance and personnel committee to approve a short-term loan and pay it back out of the bond issue later.
Mayor Gary Henke asked if it was worth getting the additional warranty on the new sweeper.
The five-year parts and labor extended warranty option was priced at $8,515. The four-year warranty was quoted at $6,825, the three-year at $3,500 and two-year at $2,535.
O’Connell said, “We could go with the two or three year warranty, we don’t have to go five.”
Bodoh explained that was an option but reminded the committee, “If you have one major repair, the warranty can pretty much cover itself.”
Goodreau said he has not heard of many problems with this type of sweeper.
Alderwoman Lori Dean made a motion to go with the three-year warranty, but then amended the motion to purchase the four-year warranty for $6,825. Herter seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Division Street construction
The committee approved an engineering agreement for Division Street, and a municipal agreement with Waupaca County for a highway improvement project at a cost share of 50/50 with the county.
The city is planning the future reconstruction of Division Street, including drainage work, for 2017.
Bodoh told the committee the primary driver for the project is a storm water issue on Jennings Street and Division Street. The area flooded again this year and forced a road closure three times.
“Back in 2011 when this whole thing kicked off, we had a major rainfall overnight. Water got into two houses on Jennings,” said Bodoh. “One gentleman had a basement flood two or three years ago. Every time the street floods, he is very irate.”
City Administrator Kent Hager informed council members in a recent memo that the city’s primary issue was to address the long-standing matter of insufficient storm drainage on a portion of the road.
“A determination will also need to be made regarding sanitary sewer main and laterals, water main replacement, as well as possible sidewalk placement,” said Hager. “Now is the time to start planning.
The committee unanimously approved the surveying and engineering services agreement with OMNNI and Associates for a total of $73,400 for the portion of Division from Beckert Road to Wolf River Avenue.
Waupaca County Highway Department will cover 50 percent of the engineering costs for the portion of Division Street from Beacon Avenue to Beckert Road. The city and county would split the $62,600 cost.
The committee also approved a bid for $8,830 from Northern Pipe and Equipment for sanitary lateral televising on Division Street.
Bodoh said the project consultant for the Division Street Project recommended they televise the laterals to determine their condition. He said this would be of no cost to the property owners.
They would launch a robotic camera through the main and send smaller push type cameras into the laterals.
“This would allow us to see the laterals without having to get into each house, like on the Wyman Street project,” said Bodoh.
He told the committee that the sewer main was televised last year, and is in good condition, considering it is a 90-year old clay tile. “You just don’t know about the laterals, and we’d like to clean this whole thing up if there is an issue, when we’re doing construction,” said Bodoh.
The cost of the televising project would come out of the department’s maintenance account.