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Manteno committee leans to buying new plow truck after repair and lease costs weigh in
Summary
Public works staff briefed trustees on a failing 2008 plow truck transmission and presented buy, lease and rental options; trustees signaled preference for purchasing a Crosswell Ford F-750 (approx. $197,000) rather than long-term rentals at $5,500/month or higher-priced Peterbilt bids.
Manteno’s Public Works Committee moved toward buying a replacement plow truck after staff laid out repair, lease and rental options at its June 2 meeting.
The committee heard that a 2008 International in the village fleet needs a full transmission replacement, estimated at about $14,000, and that the vehicle has required multiple prior transmission repairs. Public works superintendent Jim said the staff examined purchase quotes (a Crosswell Ford F-750 for about $197,000 and a Peterbilt around $265,000), a Ford Credit lease option at roughly 7–9% financing, and a seasonal rental that would cost $5,500 per month under a six-month minimum.
“[The 2008 truck] transmission needs to be completely replaced,” Jim said, noting that the model has had recurring issues and that staff typically keep plow trucks in service about 20 years. He added that renting over the same lifecycle would cost roughly $660,000 versus buying.
Why it matters: committee members focused on lifecycle cost, warranty coverage and fleet reliability for emergency winter response. CJ observed there is roughly $300,000 in the road/bridge fund that could be applied to the purchase, and several trustees said they preferred buying now rather than extending short-term rentals or paying long-term lease premiums.
Trustee Peggy framed operational risk as central. “If we don't have this plow truck on the road ... we could compromise our ability to get the plowing done,” she said, urging a purchase to avoid gaps in winter service.
Staff asked to confirm the exact F-750 specification (not a smaller 350 model), to return warranty terms and to obtain a trade-in or market-value estimate for the 2008 International with a broken transmission. Trustees tasked staff to put the confirmed purchase option on a future agenda for vote.
Next steps: staff will confirm equipment specs and warranty details, price a trade-in/value for the 2008 truck and place a purchase item on a future meeting agenda for formal action.
