By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
It was a night to discuss trucks and equipment but the prices just weren’t right for either.
The Bucyrus City Council Service and Finance committees met Thursday afternoon to review a couple of requests by city departments.
Water Treatment Superintendent Don Fox is in need of a pickup truck. A 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 four-wheel drive truck was found at Haydocy Chevrolet Buick for $25,000. The truck had 33,580 miles on it.
Money has already been allocated in the Waterworks Fund for a vehicle.
Committee member Bill O’Rourke questioned whether the truck was the best money for their dollar, sentiments that would later be echoed by his fellow Finance Committee members.
Though only a blessing was needed by the Service and Finance Committee for the purchase of the truck, Finance members were not completely set on the price of the truck.
Finance member John Walker noted that a four-wheel drive vehicle was needed for the Water Treatment Department but added that he believed they weren’t getting the best deal. Fellow member Steve Pifer stated that it seemed like a lot of money for that particular vehicle.
The Finance Committee will be requesting that Fox look for something with a lower price tag.
A similar issue was brought about when Sewers and Drains Superintendent Jerry Daiber requested a purchase of a sewer vacuum truck. The truck would be a VacAll AJV 1215 that operates off one engine. It features a 12-yard galvanized debris tank that comes with a lifetime warranty and a freightliner chassis.
Daiber explained to the Service Committee that they would purchase the truck from Southeastern Equipment in Mansfield for just under $315,000. Funds would be taken from the Sewers and Drains ($240,000), Storm Water ($50,000), and Water Distribution ($25,000) departments.
The new machine would assist the department with hydro excavating, something that the current model – purchased new in 1999 – was not originally made to do though department uses it as such.
Once again, the request passed through Service but halted in the Finance Committee. Members of the Finance Committee asked that the current model be looked at to see if it can be refurbished.
Acting Mayor Sis Love again asked the Finance Committee to look in to purchasing a document-handling system for the city’s various departments to help streamline the document process.
“It would provide us with the ability to keep the documents online” and accessible to various departments, stated Love.
The Minutes-On-Demand program would cost the city $37,000 though the city can get the first year of maintenance and set-up for free. Love said the funds would be dependent upon second-half of the year monies.
Law Director Rob Ratliff said a program such as Minutes-On-Demand would have a significant impact on his process, especially when it comes to tax summonses.
“This is a system that would streamline, help us keep efficient,” Council Clerk Kelli Tuttle explained. She added that, currently, packets passed out to council members cost $5,056.44 for an entire year, a cost that exceeds the $2,800 per year to have the new system.
Pifer said if they were to roll this system out, he would like to see it implemented within the Engineer’s Office first. Finance chair O’Rourke placed the subject on hold until they could review funds later in the year.
The Finance Committee also passed additional stipulations that will be added to the upcoming manpower legislation. The civil service clerk will have a 2-percent raise for the next three years while the Civil Service Commission will sees its compensation increased from $75 to $85 per month. A full-time position will still be defined as a 40-hour work week.
Finance then adjourned into executive session to discuss various public employees’ issues.