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Council advances ordinance to acquire refurbished sewer camera truck after debate on cost, staffing and payback
Summary
Ordinance 25‑09, to authorize replacement/update/repair and acquisition of a refurbished sewer camera truck, was placed on second and subsequent third reading after public-works staff described a purchase from North Olmsted for $12,000 plus about $66,500 in repairs, and discussed expected payback, training and staffing.
The finance committee advanced ordinance 25‑09, authorizing replacement, update and repair of the city’s sewer camera truck, to second and subsequent third reading following an extended discussion about cost, staffing and expected returns.
Director Brian Hitch told council members the city had an opportunity to purchase a used camera truck from the City of North Olmsted for $12,000. Hitch said the truck required additional work — primarily replacement of the main transporter camera — and an outside vendor (Emtek / Super Camera Systems) estimated roughly $66,500 to bring the truck to full working condition. Director Hitch said the total project cost would remain well below $90,000, compared with an estimated $380,000–$390,000 for a new truck.
Hitch explained the advantages: bringing camera capability in‑house reduces reliance on county or outside contractors (whose rates he cited around $360–$390 per hour for county work), allows faster response to sanitary sewer issues and supports a multi‑year program to rate, map and then prioritize sewer repairs. He said staff expect to recoup the investment through avoided contractor fees within about a year under some usage scenarios but acknowledged the actual payback depends on utilization. Hitch estimated the refurbished truck might last three to five years once repaired, and said the city plans to train staff and increase part‑time staffing to operate the equipment.
Council members pressed on the assumptions: one member calculated roughly 27 eight‑hour days of in‑house cameraing would match the cited contractor cost savings and asked whether the city had sufficient staff to use the truck at that pace. Hitch said he would reassign personnel as needed, increase part‑time hires where possible, and use collaborations with county crews or contractors for training and overflow. Hitch also said the city spent about $250,000 last year on cleaning, cameraing and related work (including construction and house calls), but did not provide a precise annual cameraing-only dollar figure from which to calculate payback.
After the discussion the committee moved to place ordinance 25‑09 on second and subsequent third reading for full council consideration; no final purchase occurred in committee.
