Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council OKs $3.3M Bond to Replace Aging City Fleet, Including Four New Trash Trucks
Summary
Council authorized $3.3 million in bonding to buy 37 vehicles citywide, supplementing a prior $1 million free‑cash purchase; the package includes two fully automated trash trucks and two rear‑load vehicles, plus passenger vehicles for parks, code enforcement and other departments.
The Springfield City Council on June 2 approved a $3.3 million bond authorization to purchase city vehicles, part of a multi‑month effort to replace aging equipment used by public works and other departments.
Chris Signoli, director of the Department of Public Works, told the council the authorization, combined with a $1 million free‑cash transfer approved earlier, will cover purchases of 37 vehicles across departments. “37 total vehicles between the $1,000,000 from last month and the $3.3 tonight,” he said, listing allocations including parks, facilities, DPW, DPW enterprise funds, code enforcement, health and other departments.
Signoli described the solid‑waste purchases in detail: two fully automated trash trucks priced at about $450,000 each and two rear‑load trucks about $290,000 each. “Those are about $450,000 a piece,” he said of the automated vehicles. He said most vehicles being replaced are beyond their useful life — many from model years 2013–2016 — and that new purchases are expected to reduce long‑term repair and labor costs.
Councilors asked about fuel efficiency and whether purchases would include police and fire vehicles; Signoli said the July purchases do not include police or fire, which recently made separate purchases, and that a citywide five‑year fleet plan covering police and fire will be prepared after this procurement.
Councilors also asked whether new trucks would reduce worker injuries; Signoli said newer automated systems reduce manual handling and therefore lower injury risk and overtime related to staffing shortages.
Action: The council approved the $3.3 million bond authorization (item 9) by roll call. The authorization supplements a $1 million free‑cash vehicle allocation approved previously; city staff said the combined money funds replacement of 37 vehicles across departments.
