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Madelia weighs $18,000 leaf‑collection machine and plan for citywide curbside pickup
Summary
Councilors and staff discussed buying a leaf‑collection unit with an $18,000 estimate and potential additional repairs raising costs toward about $27,000; staff said the machine could enable community pickup and would require planning for labor and routes before citywide curbside service.
At a Madelia workshop, staff presented an estimate to acquire and repair a leaf‑collection machine (referred to in discussion as a 'leaf back') and said the council could authorize spending up to about $18,000 for the purchase and initial repairs. Staff noted additional items on the repair list that could push total costs higher — up toward an approximate $27,000 figure mentioned in the discussion — and asked commissioners to grant authority within existing spending limits for routine repairs.
Why it matters: Officials said the machine could support community curbside pickup and reduce the burden on street sweeping. Commissioners and staff discussed the work needed to make curbside pickup feasible, including planning man‑hours, dividing the town into routes, weather dependencies and the need for clear cost accounting before committing to a citywide service.
Details from the workshop: Staff and a participant discussed specific repair items such as new tires, engine adjustment, timing and joystick replacement. One staff member said the machine could be shipped to St. Paul for more extensive work; another participant confirmed they expected shipping to St. Paul and an outside shop (McQueen) to perform tasks the town could not. The workshop noted a recommendation to allow staff to pursue repairs and have McQueen handle tasks beyond in‑house capability, provided costs remained within the authorized spending cap.
Next steps: The item was placed to be added to the agenda for formal consideration and commissioners asked staff to return with a clearer cost breakdown and an operational plan if the council wants to pilot or adopt curbside pickup.
