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Council approves $259,176 purchase of electric utility service truck to avoid long delivery delays
Summary
Council approved buying a VersaLift service truck at $259,176 after the electric department cited long lead times for alternatives and operational risk from the aging existing vehicle; staff said funds and procurement options will be managed to limit FY26 budget impact.
Seaford City Council on May 13 approved the purchase of a new electric utility service truck from VersaLift for $259,176, endorsing staff's recommendation to prioritize a shorter delivery time over the lower bid.
Greg Brook, presenting for the electric department, said the city received two Sourcewell quotes: Altec at $242,973 with an estimated 20-23 month delivery and VersaLift at $259,176 with an estimated 11-13 month delivery. Brook said the department relies on the service truck for outages and tight-space work; he cited prior breakdowns and costly repairs when delivery was delayed on previous orders and argued that the shorter lead time reduced operational risk. "So that's my recommendation. I know it's more expensive and out of budget, but my recommendation is to go with the VersaLift service truck," Brook told the council.
Council members asked about budget timing and payment schedules. Staff said the FY25 budget includes $87,500 earmarked for a down payment on a truck but that Sourcewell purchases typically result in payment on delivery, so the purchase may not require FY26 cash outlay until delivery. The city's FY26 budget had included $250,000 for a service truck; the VersaLift price exceeds that figure by about $9,176, staff reported.
Council discussed options to offset the overage, including auctioning the current vehicle once a replacement is in hand; staff recalled a prior municipal auction that netted roughly $16,540. Brook said vendors are not offering trade-in allowances for long-lead vehicles and that rentals to temporarily replace a service truck can cost $1,500'$2,000 per week.
Councilman Mike Bradley moved to award the bid to VersaLift for $259,176; Vice Mayor Dan Henderson seconded and the council approved the motion by voice vote. Staff said they will confirm budget-year accounting with the finance director and, if necessary, adjust capital planning to reflect the delivery schedule and payment timing.
