Michiana council approves purchase of replacement tractor to be paid from vehicle CD and water bond

The Village of Michiana council voted March 14 to buy a replacement tractor for the Department of Public Works, authorizing the use of a maturing certificate of deposit and Water Bond funds to cover the purchase.

Council member Mike Mumper presented two quotes for a replacement unit — a John Deere (quoted earlier in the discussion as $68,789) and a Kubota for $89,210 — and said the John Deere vendor offered a $10,000 trade‑in allowance on the village’s old tractor. He told the council the village has $20,000 in a vehicle reserve and planned to cash a CD maturing at the end of May for $20,640; the remaining balance would be paid from the Water Bond. Mumper moved to approve purchasing the John Deere; Mike Botelho seconded and the motion passed.

A follow-up motion to cash the vehicle CD when it matures at the end of May also passed on a roll call vote of 4–0. The minutes record a small inconsistency in the transcript about the exact purchase figure (the discussion lists $68,789 earlier and the motion text lists $68,787). The council did not provide a separate recorded breakdown showing the final net out‑of‑pocket cost after the vendor trade‑in; the minutes state the remaining amount would come from the Water Bond.

Council members said the tractor, carrying a backhoe attachment, will be used by DPW and the Water Department for tasks such as digging water lines, and that a replacement is prudent because the existing machine is nearly 30 years old and increasingly costly to maintain. The purchase was presented as not requiring a formal budget amendment because the plan uses reserves and bond proceeds.

The council did not take public comment on the motion at the time of the vote. The council will oversee delivery and implementation; Mumper said delivery could take three to six months.