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Public works equipment and vehicle purchases debated; staff told to plan 1-ton purchase for next fiscal year
Summary
Councilors reviewed a multi-item equipment list — backhoe trade-in options, a one-ton truck with dump body and accessories (total quoted ~ $132,004.60), a vehicle hoist for the shop, and other fleet items. Staff were directed to pursue pricing and to plan the one-ton purchase for fiscal year 2026 with acquisition steps starting July 1.
Milford staff and councilors spent a portion of the budget work session reviewing public-works equipment and vehicle requests, including heavy-equipment trade-in offers and associated outfitting costs.
Staff recapped a previous backhoe purchase and a trade-in offer: "John Deere is willing to give us $66,000 on that case backhoe," a staff member said, but noted new units have higher list prices and longer lead times. Councilors asked staff to follow up with Case, Cat and other vendors to obtain firm trade-in and purchase quotes.
Public-works staff presented a detailed quote for a 1-ton utility truck and accessories: the base 1-ton pickup was listed at about $59,009.26, a dump body at $17,000, a hydraulic system at $16,041, a spreader at $19,001.39 and a plow at $17,007.66, bringing the quoted total (truck plus accessories) to approximately $132,004.60. Staff said the spreader could double as a salt spreader/sander for winter operations.
Councilors and staff discussed timing and budget-year treatment for the one-ton purchase. Staff proposed placing the $132,004.60 request into the next fiscal-year budget, with authority for staff to begin acquisition steps on July 1 if the truck is available. "You just wanna put the 1 ton so Ben can start making that purchase July 1," one council member said; staff agreed to pursue availability and to bring firm contract language to the council if necessary.
Other shop requests discussed included a vehicle hoist for safer maintenance work (staff estimated roughly $7,000 for a hoist plus electrical work), trailer brake controls, and a packer sprayer for 2,4-D application; the packer sprayer had previously been budgeted two years earlier. Staff asked to gather final installation/electrical quotes and to return firm totals for the formal budget.
No formal equipment purchases were authorized in the work session; councilors directed staff to obtain refined bids and, where appropriate, include the 1-ton with accessories in the fiscal‑year‑2026 capital plan.
