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Board approves $56,000 transfer for snowblower parts; staff outlines $235,000 attachment option
Summary
Faced with a Jan. 25 storm and a 1996 snowblower with parts on 120-day backorder, staff obtained board approval to transfer $56,000 to repair lines and ordered $10,000 in parts; staff said a $235,000 front-loader attachment may be a long-term solution and will pursue grant opportunities with a Feb. 26 deadline.
The Board of Estimate and Apportionment on Feb. 11 approved a transfer of $56,000 to the materials and supplies repair line to purchase spare parts for a municipal 1996 snowblower that requires frequent repair.
Public works staff explained the request, saying that since the Jan. 25 storm that dropped roughly 20 inches of snow, crews have used the snowblower continuously and the machine has broken down several times. "Since January 25 storm where we had the 20 inches of, snow, we've been using our snowblower ... at least minimum 8 hours a day to hold the snow off our streets," staff said. Staff reported $10,000 of parts have already been ordered and that many replacement components are backordered (about 120 days). The transfer will let the city stock additional spare parts to reduce downtime.
Staff also described a longer-term acquisition option: buying an attachment for a front loader estimated at $235,000 to serve as the primary clearing machine while keeping the older machine as a spare. The mayor noted that state and legislative contacts have opened grant opportunities and asked staff to prepare submissions; "The Senator Scoofus and Assemblywoman Kaye have both opened up the request for grants. The deadline is February 26," the mayor said. The motion to transfer funds was made by the mayor, seconded by Massey, and approved by voice vote.
The board directed staff to investigate equipment options and potential grants before committing to a purchase; staff said they will prepare a proposal for grant submission and continue to use the existing machine as a backup while parts are obtained.
