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Committee reviews capital purchases: new track loader and grinder attachment, lawnmower and other equipment to expand in-house road and vegetation work
Summary
Staff told the committee they plan to buy a high-flow tracked loader with forestry and cold-planer/grinder attachments (total about $142,000), a new lawnmower ($18,000 with $5,000 down), and to use remaining capital to cover certain sewer repairs and other needs.
Kankakee City’s Environmental Services Utility committee on April 21, 2025 reviewed a package of capital purchases intended to expand the city’s in-house road repair and vegetation-control capabilities, reduce equipment rental costs and support spring and summer maintenance work.
Staff reported roughly $400,000 of capital authority remained in the FY25 budget after payments for an HVAC replacement (noted at about $110,000) and other items. Specific purchases discussed included a new lawnmower (total cost about $18,000 with a $5,000 down payment placed) and a high-flow tracked loader (skid steer) with a forestry attachment and a cold planer/grinder attachment. The total quoted cost for the tracked loader and both attachments was about $142,000; staff said a standard two-year warranty is included and a four-year warranty can be secured for an extra $2,500.
Public Works staff described the operational benefits: the forestry attachment will allow in-house clearing of detention ponds, railroad crossings and overgrown brush without renting equipment; the cold planer/grinder attachment (about 40 inches wide) will enable larger hot patches, localized asphalt grinding to remove humps and to prepare short-length paving repairs that previously required contractors or MFT (Motor Fuel Tax) work. Staff said the machine and attachment lead time was about one month and they hoped the equipment would be in service by June.
Other capital matters discussed: a sewer-related cost on Hobby Avenue noted at about $205,000 that the city absorbed, and about $20,000 earmarked for minor sewer repairs. Committee members also discussed a possible street sweeper acquisition (estimated roughly $328,000) as a future capital priority and strategies for allocating limited MFT funds; staff offered a planning estimate that a full block curb-to-curb asphalt replacement could cost roughly $40,000, implying MFT funding would cover only a few blocks in a given year.
The committee provided the informational update and did not finalize additional purchases beyond the down payment already placed for the mower; staff will proceed with procurement steps consistent with the adopted capital budget and bring any required contract awards or purchase approvals back to Council as needed.
