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Millis finance committee reviews $90,369 request to replace DPW unit 11
Summary
Public works officials told the Finance Committee they will seek town meeting approval to buy a replacement utility truck (unit 11) that the department said is past its useful life; the vehicle would be split across four departmental funds.
The Town of Millis Finance Committee on Sept. 24 heard a request from public works staff to place a capital article on the November town meeting warrant to replace “unit 11,” a 2013 utility truck used across divisions.
Jim McKay, presenting on behalf of the Department of Public Works, said the vehicle is past its expected replacement age and is on the department’s capital list. “It’s a 2013 dump body…we usually put a 10 year life expectancy on most of our smaller vehicles,” McKay said, adding the proposed replacement would include a new plow and reuse an existing sander.
The replacement price in the packet was listed at $90,369. The DPW presented the committee with an updated vehicle-and-equipment inventory that staff said guided replacement timing. McKay told the committee the cost would be split across four funds; the packet materials and discussion indicated a four-way allocation but did not provide fully reconciled per-fund line items during the meeting.
Committee members asked about staffing levels and whether additional personnel would change vehicle needs. A committee member asked how many employees work for the DPW; the response given during the meeting was 14. McKay said the department could use one additional employee but did not propose new hires tied to the current replacement request.
McKay said the truck vendor is purchased under a state contract and that the current bid group of vehicles is the last set available under that contract; if the town waits until May the price would likely be higher.
If approved at November town meeting, the truck would be added to the town’s fleet; if not approved the DPW said replacement would likely be deferred to 2026. The presentation and supporting materials were provided to the committee and are available through the town’s meeting materials.
The Finance Committee did not take a final vote on the capital request during this session; McKay said it was being prepared for the November warrant.
