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Council approves $691,087 purchase of sewer jet/vac truck to replace aging unit
Summary
Council unanimously adopted Resolution R‑35‑2024 authorizing purchase and upfit of a new sewer jet/vac truck (Freightliner chassis with jet/vac upfit) at a total cost of $691,087, funded from the 2024 capital equipment budget to improve responsiveness and reduce contractor reliance.
Public‑works staff told council the city's existing sewer vacuum/jet truck (a 2009 International) has high hours and rising maintenance costs; staff proposed purchasing a modern Freightliner chassis with a combination jet/vac upfit for $691,087 under ODOT cooperative pricing.
Public‑works staff said the truck is a workhorse for sanitary and storm sewer maintenance, responding several days per week for maintenance, inspections and emergency blockages. Staff explained contracting out the service is expensive and less responsive than ownership.
Council discussed shared‑use concepts but agreed the city's usage and service‑level needs justified a dedicated vehicle and voted unanimously to adopt the resolution authorizing the purchase.
Why it matters: owning the truck improves the city's ability to respond quickly to sewer obstructions and to perform hydro‑excavation and environmental response work without high hourly contract costs.
What's next: staff will proceed under cooperative purchasing to acquire and upfit the unit and return procurement paperwork as required.
