Board approves payment process for electric sewage trucks amid concerns about grant reimbursement

The Board of Public Works and Safety on April 8 authorized the Clerk-Treasurer to prepare payment so the city can collect new electric sewage trucks when they arrive, and discussed the timing and risk of federal grant reimbursement.

A representative from the sewage department asked that the city have a check ready to facilitate pickup when the trucks are delivered. Board members said the purchase is a reimbursable-grant situation: the city must pay up front and then submit documentation for reimbursement. Board members and staff noted they had seen at least one recent grant pause and said that creates risk if reimbursement is delayed or denied.

The transcript records board discussion that the trucks will be delivered before the grant funds are received and that the sewage department intends to submit reimbursement paperwork promptly after proof of payment. The board asked staff to confirm with the regional grant administrator that reimbursement remains likely; staff reported they had recently contacted the grant administrator, who indicated no reason to expect denial.

Board members acknowledged the potential fiscal exposure but said the city has budget flexibility to absorb the cost if necessary. The board voted to approve preparing the payment and to receive the trucks when they arrive.

The meeting record does not provide a single, clear purchase invoice number or an exact grant identifier in the transcript; the board discussion referenced a federal grant administered through the regional program and said the grant would reimburse a portion of the purchase.