Samantha Jones, solid waste director, told the Hot Springs Board of Directors that the city’s purchasing department solicited bids for a recycling truck under Invitation to Bid HSDash25Dash037 and that Rush Truck Centers of Arkansas, Inc., submitted the lowest responsive bid of $253,355.44.

Jones said staff reviewed the bid, published a notice of intent to award and received no protests. The vehicle will collect recycling for the city’s Earth Angel program and will replace Unit 9419, a truck the director said is 10 years old; the director said the old unit will be sold when the new truck arrives. Jones told the board the purchase price is less than the amount included in the 2025 solid waste budget.

A board member asked whether the new truck would be the same brand; Jones said the can body will be the same but the chassis will be International rather than the prior Freightliner. The procurement was processed “in adherence to ordinance 61-48,” the director said.

The resolution to award the contract to Rush Truck Centers is scheduled for board action on Aug. 5; no vote occurred at the agenda meeting.