Council advances $90,000 repair contract for trailer-mounted power washers; GSD details equipment uses

The Detroit City Council moved a three-year contract for repair, labor and parts for trailer-mounted power washers to formal session during its meeting.

The contract lists Eric and Robert Thompson LLC of Farmington Hills as the contractor, covers a three-year period and shows a total amount of $90,000; the memorandum in the agenda states the contract is 100% state-funded. Council members moved the item to formal session with a recommendation for approval.

Council Member Angela Whitfield Callaway, acting as vice chairwoman for the session, asked General Services Department staff how many trailer-mounted power washers the city maintains and how they are used. Ms. Smith, a General Services Department representative on the call, said units are mounted on trailers and attached to vehicles in the fleet.

Deputy Director Dorel Harris expanded on the uses: “We use the power washers with our grounds maintenance division that cleans the bus shelters. They spray the shelters down and they use this cleaning solution to clean the glass on the shelters and the ground and the area around the shelters. We use the power washers in our parks… If there is graffiti or other things at the park, they will spray that down.”

Harris provided an inventory estimate for General Services Department operations: three units in the DDOT operation that service bus shelters, three in the blight division and two in grounds maintenance — “at least 8” units — and said other departments such as DPW may also hold units.

Staff told council members the city typically resumes broad outdoor power-washing work when temperatures are consistently above about 32–35 degrees Fahrenheit and offered to send crews to inspect specific sticker and adhesive issues on sidewalks in early spring.

The item was moved to formal session; no final contract award was recorded at the meeting and no roll-call vote tally was provided on the record.