Council approves street-department uniform contract, sets per-employee allowance

The Village of South Russell council approved a contract with Future Image to supply uniforms for the street department and adopted a purchase protocol developed by Human Resources and street staff. The vote followed a presentation by street department staff describing uniform options, pricing and an administrative plan for distributed allowances. Council members moved and seconded the measure and the motion passed on voice vote. Under the adopted approach, the village will purchase an initial uniform package for each street-crew employee and maintain an annual allowance for replacements and additional items. The figures discussed at the meeting showed an initial per-employee buy-in of about $1,200 and an annual allotment of $300 thereafter. Council also approved a separate boot allowance of $500 per employee per year; the allowance will be issued twice annually (July and January) and requires submission of receipts for reimbursement. Street staff showed sample items and prices during the presentation: short- and long-sleeve shirts in the $15–$16 range; hoodies ranging roughly $40–$48 depending on style; a fleece at about $53; and a high-visibility vest quoted at about $100. One-time setup fees for embroidery were described as $40 with a small color-change fee (about $13); size surcharges were noted ($2 for 2XL, $3 for 3XL). The vendor and staff recommended retaining a high-visibility option for roadwork and offering darker hybrid garments for other duties, with the option to add first names to shirts at modest additional cost. Council clarified that the initial purchase would be centrally invoiced to the village (not as cash reimbursements to employees) and that HR and streets will finalize ordering details and sizing. The council also authorized the administrative protocol presented by HR and street staff that will govern item selection and distribution. The motion included the vendor name and the protocol reviewed by HR and streets. There were no recorded roll-call objections in the meeting record; the motion passed on voice vote. Councilmembers and staff who discussed the item emphasized safety and visibility on roadways, the desire to standardize staff appearance, and the administrative simplicity of central invoicing and annual allowances. The council directed staff to finalize the vendor order and implement the allowance and boot-reimbursement process under the agreed protocol. Less critical details from the presentation included optional jacket and name‑stitching choices, and sample pricing for multiple garment types. The proposal discussed in the meeting covered five street-department employees in the village’s cost estimate as an example (five employees at $1,200 each = $6,000 initial outlay), but the final per-employee figures and total cost will depend on the final headcount and sizes when orders are placed. Next steps: HR and street staff will complete size collection and place the order under the approved bid; staff will also manage the ongoing annual allowance and boot-reimbursement process according to the protocol adopted by council.