Clayton council approves leaf-vacuum purchase, tree services contract and several budget adjustments

The Clayton City Council on June 10 unanimously approved several administrative measures: a late addition to the agenda and resolution authorizing purchase of a leaf vacuum machine, a contract award for tree removal and trimming, amendments to council rules on motions to reconsider, and multiple midyear budget adjustments.

Council added Resolution RO62550 to the evening’s agenda and then voted to approve it. The resolution authorizes the city manager to purchase a leaf vacuum machine from Binkmore Inc. at a total cost of $92,000, City Service Director Randy Sanders told council, adding the manufacturer is taking approximately four months to build the machines. “If we wait till July, we’re looking at November, and…that’s just about leaf time,” Sanders said, explaining the city moved forward because of equipment age and risk of breakdown.

Also approved was Resolution RO62548, authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with Russell Tree Experts Limited of Westerville for 2025 tree removal, trimming and related services. Service staff reported the city received a single acceptable bid from Russell Tree Experts; an alternate bid from a local vendor was not opened due to missing notarization. Council approved the award as the lowest and only responsive bid.

Council amended and approved Resolution RO62547 to revise council rule 4, number 7, clarifying the language around motions to reconsider by replacing uses of the words “matter” and “item” with “item of legislation” in Exhibit A; the amendment passed on a motion to amend and then on final approval.

On budget items (Resolution RO62549), Finance Director Kevin Schweitzer outlined several increases in estimated resources and appropriations: return of an $28,000 insurance deposit to a homeowner after fire repairs at 161 Ashbrook; proceeds of $6,050 from a sold fire staff car and $8,462 in appropriations to renovate the firehouse kitchen; $9,780 from the law enforcement trust fund to encrypt mobile data terminal hard drives and related monthly monitoring; $1,500 for unplanned headstone and earthwork at the cemetery; and acceptance of a $9,109.85 grant for personal protective equipment for the fire department.

All motions reported in the meeting were approved unanimously as recorded in the minutes. Councilors who moved or seconded key motions during the approvals included Mr. Henning (move to amend agenda), Mr. Gorman and Ms. Kelly (motion and second to approve multiple items), and Mr. Merkel (second on an amendment). No dissenting votes were recorded during the session.

Discussion during the leaf-vacuum item included a question about the old machine; Sanders said staff preferred to retain the older unit rather than trade it in for a small trade-in value. On the tree-services contract, staff noted prior vendors and said Russell Tree Experts is a large firm used by other cities.

The approvals completed the new-business items on the agenda; no ordinance changes beyond the listed ordinance authorizing amendment to debt schedules were enacted during the new-business votes.