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Street superintendent outlines equipment needs, funding accounts and staffing shortfall
Summary
The Pryor Creek street superintendent briefed the committee on winter operations, recent sidewalk and snow-clearing purchases, available accounts and a list of capital items for the next budget year including a new street sweeper, pickup, bucket truck and other attachments.
Buddy, Pryor Creek’s street superintendent, told the Street Committee the department has continued routine maintenance, responded to a recent snow event and recently purchased two snow blowers for sidewalk clearing at a combined cost of about $1,600 using funds from a FEMA account.
He outlined account balances and capital needs: roughly $17,000 remaining in the city’s concrete account, about $10,000 in the asphalt account, and an unspent storm-recovery account (account 5062) that contains about $53,000. He said those balances will shape which projects the department can undertake outside of the annual budget process.
Buddy said the department needs a replacement street sweeper, estimated at about $450,000. The city set aside roughly $200,000 last year toward that purchase, he said, and the department will need approximately an additional $250,000 depending on the model chosen. He also identified other anticipated capital items for the 2025–26 budget: a two-wheel-drive pickup to replace a high-mileage flatbed, a replacement bucket truck when available (staff said used options would be considered), and possible replacement of a 2008 skid steer that is showing hydraulic wear. Buddy proposed evaluating purchases for cost and durability and noted in several cases FEMA or other special accounts might cover smaller attachments.
On staffing, Buddy said the street crew currently lists seven workers not including him; with him included the department has eight employees. One vacancy created by a recent resignation remains open; Buddy said rehiring to return to nine staff would improve productivity and allow better rotation for snow removal, sweeping and other work.
Committee members asked about project timing and whether certain work could be coordinated with contractors performing the Highway 20 overlay — for example, having a contractor with the necessary milling machine perform the rumble-strip cuts as a change order would reduce rental costs. Buddy said he will contact the contractor when equipment moves into the area to determine availability.
The committee also discussed smaller equipment that could improve operations — a skid-steer parking-lot pusher to collect and relocate plowed snow more cleanly, and parking-lot attachments to speed sidewalk and municipal lot clearing. Buddy said some attachments are modest in price and could be bought with FEMA or other special funds, while major purchases would be placed in next year’s capital budget.
No formal committee action was recorded on the capital list at the meeting; members asked staff to develop cost estimates and priorities for the budget process.
Key budget and equipment figures discussed in the meeting: - Two sidewalk snow blowers: about $1,600 total (purchased from a FEMA account with approximately $11,000 available at the time of purchase). - Concrete account balance: approximately $17,000. - Asphalt account balance: approximately $10,000. - Storm-recovery/FEMA account (account 5062): about $53,000 available. - Replacement street sweeper: estimated at about $450,000; $200,000 previously budgeted, additional funding needed.
