Pottsville council discusses buying hot‑box patching equipment to reduce paving costs

Pottsville city officials discussed acquiring a mobile hot‑box patching machine and related attachments at the Jan. 28 council meeting, saying the equipment could let crews reheat and reuse asphalt for local patching and small overlays.

The mayor described the machine as a mobile trailer‑mounted hot box with a ‘wacky packer’ attachment and said the administration examined two‑ton and four‑ton models. He estimated initial costs between $35,000 and $40,000 for a top model but said the unit the city is leaning toward was quoted at about $25,841 before taxes and delivery. The mayor said the two‑ton unit would be towable behind the city’s truck.

Officials argued the unit could substantially reduce recurring patching costs: the mayor estimated that four tons of cold mix previously cost about $4,100–$4,400 while four tons reheated from a supplier could cost roughly $150, and that buying a hot box would likely save “the city a hundred to $150,000 a year.” The administration emphasized this would support service‑line repairs, small street cuts and ADA‑related surface work at parks and ballfields rather than large street reconstruction.

Council discussed procurement rules: purchases over local bid thresholds would require formal bids; the mayor said he will bring formal quotes for two models and a line‑item budget breakdown at the next meeting. Lead times vary by model; one representative mentioned about six weeks from purchase to delivery for some units. The Arkansas Department of Transportation offers paving training free to municipalities, and the mayor said the city could use that resource for staff training.

No final purchase vote was held. Council asked staff to return with exact quotes, delivery timelines and proposed funding lines at the next meeting so members can consider formal action.