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Lower Salford to rent sweeper after contractor falls behind; staff explores used bucket‑truck purchase
Summary
Staff reported Harleysville Materials has swept roughly 20% of township roads while using about half the allotted time; the township will rent and operate a sweeper and is also negotiating to acquire a used bucket truck to reduce future reliance on vendors.
During the June 17 Lower Salford work session, staff warned the board that the township’s street‑sweeping contract has not met expectations and outlined short‑term and capital options.
Mr. Jones said Harleysville Materials has swept “about 20% of our roads and used almost 50% of the allotted time,” and described intermittent equipment problems and an irregular schedule. To address incomplete coverage and quality concerns, staff plans to rent a street sweeper next week and operate it in‑house, potentially for one to two weeks, to pick up gaps left by the contractor.
Separately, staff described discussions to acquire a used 2014 bucket truck from Lower Marion. A new truck would cost roughly $180,000, staff said, while a used machine could meet sign‑truck and occasional elevated‑work needs. The board expressed support for pursuing a used unit and asked staff to continue negotiations and report back.
No formal procurement votes occurred at the meeting; staff said they will return with cost estimates and recommended next steps.
