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Commission OKs rental of tub grinder and trommel to clear long‑standing wood pile and speed compost screening
Summary
Alarmah approved two rentals from Maverick Environmental Equipment: a tub grinder and attachments to remove a 15–20 year accumulation of large tree trunks and root balls, and a larger trommel to speed compost screening and increase compost output.
Commission approved two rentals to help the Department of Public Works remove a long‑standing wood pile and improve compost screening capacity.
The items matter because the city says a large pile of tree trunks, root balls and other woody debris has accumulated over 15–20 years and cannot be processed by the city’s current equipment. The city also wants to increase the rate at which it produces screened compost for public distribution.
The commission approved a request for purchase to Maverick Environmental Equipment in the amount of $33,250 to rent a tub grinder and a track loader with a wood‑splitter attachment to eliminate the large wood pile. The commission also approved a separate $18,300 rental of a larger trommel (screener) to process compost piles. Staff described the wood pile as consisting of trunks and large root balls that do not readily rot or compost and said the tub grinder will remove material that is too large for existing on‑site composting. For the trommel, staff said the larger screener will dramatically speed screening; tasks that previously took months with the city’s small screener can be completed in days with the rented machine, improving the volume of compost available for public distribution.
Discussion included operational and cost trade‑offs: staff said renting is cheaper than purchasing when maintenance and underuse are considered. Commissioners and staff discussed past efforts to sell bagged compost; staff said selling compost proved difficult because transportation/trucking costs make remote buyers uneconomical and the city typically gives compost away for free to ensure on‑site materials move out before storage limits expire.
Actions: The commission approved both rental requests to Maverick Environmental Equipment (outcome: approved). No amendments were recorded. Staff will coordinate machine use and photos of the wood pile for commissioner review. No separate appropriation was recorded in the transcript beyond the purchase approvals.
The motion passed by voice vote; transcript records “motion’s carried” for both items.
