O'Fallon council approves purchase of three refuse trucks to beat 2027 emissions changes

The O'Fallon City Council on June 25 approved a resolution to buy three side‑load refuse trucks from Elliott Equipment for an amount not to exceed $926,675, a move staff said is intended to avoid new 2027 heavy‑duty emissions standards and to lock in current pricing.

"EPA regulations are changing for 2027 for all heavy duty trucks on the emission standards," Jim Waynesboro, environmental services superintendent, told the council, saying the industry expects the 2027 changes to be “extreme.” Waynesboro said the city had already bid and obtained dealer agreement to hold pricing for three additional trucks this year rather than wait until the 2027 budget cycle.

Waynesboro described past problems after a prior emissions‑standard change, saying trucks bought after a prior standard were “down for eight months” while parts and fixes were unavailable. That experience shaped the recommendation to buy earlier this year to avoid becoming “guinea pigs” for new engine models.

A staff member identified as Jason said the city plans mechanic training (Cummins) for the purchased vehicles. "If we buy this year, we can get the training for those vehicles," he said, adding manufacturers are updating engine models and dealer support will be important.

Council members pressed staff on the scale of savings. Councilmember Wilcox noted that staff had said savings could be "20 to 30,000" per truck compared with buying in 2027; Waynesboro cautioned that exact figures were estimates. Councilmember Boyer asked about fleet size and lifecycle; staff said the city operates about 40 heavy trucks and targets a 10–12 year life for dump trucks, with annual rotation of two to three vehicles to avoid synchronized retirements.

The council approved the Elliott Equipment purchase authorization by voice vote; minutes record the resolution as approved unanimously. Staff said there are still additional roof and other projects in progress but that, as of the meeting, there were no outstanding change orders beyond those previously discussed.

The resolution authorizing purchase was introduced on the consent/agreement portion of the agenda and approved during the same meeting. Staff said they will return with any mid‑year budget adjustments if funds are moved forward from 2027 to complete additional truck purchases.

Votes at a glance: the resolution authorizing the purchase of three side‑load refuse trucks (amount not to exceed $926,675) was approved by a recorded voice vote of nine yes, zero no. Several other bills on the agenda also passed unanimously during the session (see full meeting record for bill numbers and ordinance actions).