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Town discusses shop repairs, equipment replacement, hydrants and meter changeouts
Summary
Council and staff reviewed multiple public‑works needs including replacing or selling aged equipment, installing a walk‑in shop door, replacing deep water meters, and inspecting or testing fire hydrants; staff to price repairs and coordinate contractors.
Town public‑works staff and council members discussed multiple maintenance and equipment issues affecting operations and safety, including replacing or selling older tractors and mowers, installing a walk‑in man door for the shop, changing out deep water meters, and repairing or testing fire hydrants.
Contracting and equipment: Staff and council discussed whether to use a backhoe or hire a contractor (Barker’s) to dig and change deep meters. One speaker said Barker’s had submitted multiple bids and that the council planned to use Barker’s and complete required paperwork. Council members considered whether to buy or rent a skid steer; staff noted a decent skid steer would cost about $25,000. They also discussed selling an older tractor (estimated resale $8,000–$8,500) and repairing three‑point hitch leaks.
Shop door and building work: Staff described a failing roll‑up shop door and proposed adding a walk‑in or double industrial door to reduce wear and allow easier access for mowers and equipment. Cost estimates mentioned included roughly $800–$900 for an industrial double door and about $5,600 for plywood and framing; staff said they would price the project and return with estimates.
Water meters and hydrants: The group reviewed a list of about nine meters that need changing and at least two hydrants that lack handles and are difficult to operate. Rob (staff) reported that hydrants belong to the town and said annual inspections and testing could earn ISO insurance‑rating points; however, the testing equipment can be costly (Rob reported approximately $2,000 for the testing equipment). Staff and council discussed doing level‑1 checks themselves (opening hydrants to verify flow and seal) and doing full equipment tests only when necessary. The council agreed it would be reasonable to perform checks on a subset (about 20%) each year; with 25 hydrants total, staff reported testing three a year would meet that informal cadence.
Liability and insurance: Council members discussed that digging for meter changeouts may shift some liability to contractors who are insured, which the town saw as a benefit. Staff said they would coordinate with contractors, the fire department, and other staff to schedule work and report back with firm cost estimates and timelines.
No formal motions were recorded on these maintenance items during the transcript excerpt; staff committed to obtaining bids and cost breakdowns and returning with recommendations.
