Public Works lists aging fleet replacements and DPW facility and tank-removal needs

Public Works personnel presented a multi-year equipment and facility plan that emphasizes replacing aging vehicles, addressing underground storage tanks (USTs) and upgrading DPW facilities.

Speaker 3 (unnamed, Public Works) said the department has kept equipment for decades and now faces rising maintenance costs and long lead times for replacement vehicles. He provided examples including a 10-wheeler estimated at about $385,000 and recurring expensive boom inspections for a 75-foot bucket truck (“It's, like, 13 k,” Speaker 3 said).

Speaker 3 also said the city has two 10,000-gallon underground storage tanks — one diesel and one fuel — that have been offline for five years and are subject to DEP requirements for removal. “We're mandated by DEP to have those out of the ground in 5 years,” Speaker 3 said, and staff noted the need to hire an LSP (licensed site professional) to oversee removal and sampling.

Beyond tanks, Speaker 3 recommended a comprehensive DPW facility upgrade — new siding, roof insulation, doors and internal improvements — and flagged pavement and municipal lot repaving as future capital needs. Given supply timelines, staff said purchases should be planned years in advance so vehicles arrive when needed.

Why it matters: aging equipment increases maintenance costs and can hamper service delivery; UST removal carries regulatory deadlines and environmental oversight costs.

Next steps: staff will refine replacement schedules, seek budget authority for multi-year purchases, and scope the DPW facility and UST removal project with environmental oversight.