Board votes to downsize to smaller dump truck
28.06.11
JAY — Selectmen voted Monday to buy a Ford F-550 jettison truck instead of a new 10-wheel dump truck. The board plans to put the existing 2001 out to bid unless it gets a safe trade-in value.
The decision came after two meetings, much discussion and two votes.
Selectmen opted in May to have metropolis mechanics make a parts' list and the costs associated with them to fix the 2001 truck.
The cabinet was trying to determine if the truck should be repaired or if the town should buy a new one at the cost of about $190,000.
Highway foreman John Johnson said the payment to fix the existing truck would be $19,000 and the trade-in value was estimated at $20,000.
There is $440,000 in a reserve account for gear purchases. Town trucks used to be traded in every eight years, but the time days has expanded to 10 or 11. More equipment needs to be replaced in coming years, Johnson said.
Table Vice Chairman Warren Bryant and Chairman Steve McCourt initially voted against downsizing to the Ford F-550, while Selectmen Tom Goding and Tim DeMillo voted in favor of it Monday.
Source: Lewiston Sun Journal
GPS may be placed on county plow trucks
20.06.11
“Big Fellow-countryman” may soon know the exact location of each county Road Commission truck at any addicted moment.
The county Road Commission is planning to buy new communication radios for most of its division, and is considering including Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.
Changes in Federal Communication Commission regulations are requiring the Technique Commission to buy new two-way radios for most of its vehicles, according to Road Commission engineer James C. Johnson.
The Approach Commission first discussed installing GPS units on its plow trucks to keep track of where vehicles are at any mention during the day last fall. Commissioners delayed action while Johnson and manager Herb Cradduck looked at the expenditure to buy radios with the GPS included.
“This is going to be a big purchase for us. I’m putting together a request for proposals because we're wealthy to need to seek bids on this,” Johnson said. He did not include a tariff estimate during a Road Commission meeting held last week.
Source: Leelanau Enterprise