Following the City of Hastings policy of replacing work trucks every year to eliminate maintenance costs and maintain a fleet of new trucks, Department of Public Services Director Lee Hays submitted a chart to the council with the purchase and sale prices of trucks purchased in 2013, 2015, 2016 and the proposed purchase in 2017.
Hays said they have added $2,637.34 to the equipment fund when selling the year-old trucks, with the exception of a $155.69 loss with truck 20 in 2016. “In addition, we have not incurred maintenance costs,” he said. He will sell two half-ton Sierras and two three-quarter-ton Sierras on Rangerbid.com if they meet the minimum reserve prices. They will sell a truck as they get a replacement truck, Hays said.
He listed the trucks to be purchased at MiDeal pricing from Todd Wenzel GMC as four 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 HD trucks, three at the price of $44,520.85, one for $44,880.30, for total of $178,422.85. Expenditure of $180,000 was approved in the capital improvement plan of 2017-2018, he said. About $175,000 will be left in the equipment fund, not including the revenue that will come from selling the current trucks, he said.
In other DPW activity, the council approved:
* Street line painting to PK Contracting for $29,031.60 to come from the major street fund. Included in the bid is striping for bike lanes, including Michigan Avenue from State Street to Woodlawn and on West State Road to the city limits. The routes were determined by the Hastings Police Department and the DPS.
* Replacement of wastewater treatment facility piping by Advantage Plumbing and Drain for $17, 878, with costs to come from the water and sewer fund.
* A new roof and other repairs to the Arts building in Fish Hatchery Park. Affordable Metal, LLC from Hastings, will do the work for $29,700. With the repairs, maintenance will not be needed for the next 50 years. Funding will come from the capital improvement fund and is less than the $30,000 budgeted for the work.
* Hometown Tree Service, in Hastings, will trim and remove trees in 2017-2018 for $25,500. The only other bid was from Procare Tree Service, LLC, in Wyoming, with a quote of $50,400.
* Detroit Salt Company will supply salt for city streets with a unit price of $40.92 a ton for the seasonal fill for the total of $32,736. The city uses about 800 tons a season. The contract through the MDOT guarantees more salt if the city needs it, and they can accept only 70 percent of the seasonal backup commitment, Hays said. Last year’s price was $43.40 a ton, he noted.
