Public works reports broken paver, traffic signal repair and plans to budget for replacements

Public works staff told council the borough’s 1996 Malden paver is no longer economically repairable and recommended budgeting for a replacement; authorized service representatives said repairs would exceed the value of the machine and some parts are unavailable. Staff said they are looking for a gently used replacement and will include the purchase in an upcoming budget cycle; while brand‑new machines were described as cost‑prohibitive, used machines that meet operational needs were being investigated. Separately, the Duke and Main Street traffic signal was out after a truck struck the signal control cabinet and knocked a meter off; Centimeters High and the electric utility (Med Ed as referenced) repaired and reenergized the cabinet and staff said the police identified the truck and obtained insurance information for reimbursement. Public works said borough crews provided fuel and overtime assistance while repairs were underway; those labor costs will be included in reimbursement requests. Why it matters: The borough’s ability to perform paving work in‑house depends on equipment condition; replacing the paver could allow the borough to perform alley and patch paving without contracting out. The signal repair demonstrates a recoverable maintenance cost following damage by a third party. Next steps: Staff will research used paver options and include a replacement in the capital budget, pursue insurance reimbursement for signal repairs (including overtime and man‑hours), and continue prioritizing smaller in‑house paving projects where feasible.