The Macomb County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the purchase of a compact tractor-loader from Wadham's Equipment to support drain maintenance crews.

County Public Works staff told commissioners the machine will allow crews to maintain open drains more quickly and remove woody debris, trash and muck without relying on larger contractor equipment. "We do not have this unit, and the thought is that we can do this ourselves rather than paying a contractor to do it because it's a smaller loader," Public Works staff member Brian said during the meeting.

The department said staff are familiar with the brand and the purchase was competitively solicited through the Sourcewell cooperative, which provides a roughly $22,000 discount through Wadham's Equipment. The purchase also includes three accessories — a bucket, a grapple and a skid cutter — and will be funded from the county's drain equipment fund, "so no impact on the general fund," Brian said.

Commissioners asked whether the county already owns a trailer for transporting the machine and whether the equipment is intended for roads. Brian said the county already has a trailer that can carry both the side-by-side and the tractor, and that the machine will be used for open-drain cleanout rather than road work. Commissioner Kirkey, who said she had pushed for a similar tracked machine six years earlier, described the purchase as an asset that will let three existing employees do more work without hiring contractors.

The motion to approve the purchase was made and seconded during the public services portion of the meeting and the board recorded the motion as passing by an affirmative vote.