Perry City Council reviews Public Works budget with proposal to buy street sweeper and boost water‑meter spending

Perry City Council on April 24 heard a detailed Public Works budget presentation from Zach, Perry’s Public Works director, that highlighted proposed operational increases, several one‑time capital items and a potential equipment purchase that staff said could pay for itself in about four years.

The presentation outlined a two‑year locked mowing contract at $26,000, consolidation of fertilizer services to cover five parks, and a proposed increase in a miscellaneous services line to $10,000 to fund tree pruning and stump grinding in parks. Zach said the city used grant money this year to hire a consultant to develop a parks master plan that will guide capital projects in future budgets.

Zach described the sewer and stormwater lines in the budget as largely maintenance‑driven but said one sewer cleaning zone carries a large, one‑year cost: “there’s gonna be quite a large number of 97,000 in that line item,” he said, explaining the cost reflects the schedule and area being cleaned this fiscal year and will fall in later years.

A central proposal in the storm/street budget is buying a used street sweeper for roughly $80,000 instead of continuing twice‑annual contractor sweepings that have seen a 40% price increase this year. Zach said calls to neighboring cities convinced him the particular model being offered is reliable and would deliver more value because the city could deploy it after storms or before events rather than paying each time a contractor is on site. He recommended a cash purchase if council agreed, with the cost split between the streets and stormwater funds and a subsequent budget amendment to record that split.

Council members asked about staffing and maintenance. Zach said operating a city sweeper would require pulling one Public Works employee off regular duties for about 10 workdays a year to sweep; Shanna (finance staff) said the city has available cash and that the purchase could be funded now and later depreciated so replacement funds accumulate. Councilor questions about warranty and useful life prompted Zach to say dealers were offering only limited warranties on used machines but that he had checked with Brigham, which reported low maintenance on the same model.

Streets work in the proposal relies on data from StreetLogix. Zach said the city has approximately $650,000 available after trail costs, and estimated repairs to a road damaged by a winter water main break (425 West near Mountain View Park) at about $175,000. He described a plan to set aside roughly $50,000 a year for small patch and crack sealing and to sequence larger projects — including a mill‑and‑overlay for 1200 West — around the trail schedule and developer work so the city does not “redo” recently rebuilt pavement.

On water, Zach reported progress on pressure regulation that staff and consultants say has reduced main breaks and allowed more consistent chlorine residuals across the distribution system. He presented water‑loss data showing the city’s unaccounted water falling from roughly 50% several years ago to about 30% now. To accelerate meter replacements and reduce that unaccounted portion, Zach proposed increasing the meter budget from about $45,000 to $60,000 next year to buy roughly 70 meters and replace older units more quickly. He also reported that a recently drilled Well 5 tested at about 1,000 gallons per minute and said staff are moving toward pricing and construction for bringing the well online.

Zach noted utility power costs are trending higher and that staff are working with Rocky Mountain Power and on pump scheduling strategies (variable frequency drives and coordinated pumping) to reduce peak charges. He also briefed council on two generators that are installed on pads and awaiting natural‑gas hook‑ups.

Staff said they plan to bring StreetLogix maps and a five‑year prioritized list to the council in the coming weeks and that the city hopes to publish an online map so residents can see planned road work.

Votes at a glance: The meeting did include two procedural voice votes later in the agenda. The council approved the consent items by voice vote (no roll‑call recorded) and later voted to adjourn; both items were approved without recorded dissent.

Why it matters: The items Zach presented would reallocate maintenance duties, increase targeted capital and equipment spending, and accelerate replacement of meters and other infrastructure. The street sweeper purchase in particular would move the city from a recurring contractor expense to owning an asset; staff estimated a multi‑year payback but flagged maintenance and warranty limitations for used equipment.

Next steps and follow‑up: Staff said they will return with a formal budget amendment if council approves buying a sweeper, present the StreetLogix five‑year pavement plan at an upcoming meeting, and bring a recommended meter replacement schedule if the council approves increased meter funding.