Council unsure of new street sweeper purchase

Purchasing a nearly $200,000 new street sweeper was tabled until the Grant City Council receives an inspection report on the current sweeper.  

The city received four bids for a new street sweeper at their meeting on Oct. 23. Nebraska Environmental Products of Lincoln presented two bids for Elgin sweepers and Rose Equipment of Lincoln presented two bids for Global sweepers. 

Public Works Foreman Gary Beckler said he and Randy Heinemann prefer the Elgin sweeper as it is more comfortable and the visibility is better. 

Councilman Matt Greenwood asked what it would cost to repair the current street sweeper. Beckler said it currently needs a bearing. Greenwood responded that a bearing is not worth $200,000 and asked what needed to be done to fix the sweeper.

“We have to fix it every time it breaks, which has been most of the summer. We drive it for a day or two, we work on it for a day or two,” said Beckler. 

Mayor Mike Wyatt said he’s not making light of $200,000, but there’s a life expectancy on a piece of equipment. The current sweeper is a 2005 Johnson (now Global) and was purchased brand new from Rose Equipment. Beckler said the two sweepers before that were Elgins. 

Greenwood asked both companies’ representatives, who were present at the meeting, if they could get the council information on replacing equipment every few years on a lease. 

Wyatt said in looking back at history, although things can change, the trend has always been for the city to own the equipment, and he wasn’t convinced on the lease option.

Councilman Darrell Pierce said in his working experience at the bank, they always discovered they were better off buying the equipment rather than leasing. 

Greenwood said he would like to know what’s wrong with the current sweeper if they’re going to be replacing it. Brad Broz of Rose Equipment said they could complete an inspection. 

Pierce made a motion to accept the bid from Nebraska Environmental Products for a 2019 Elgin street sweeper in the amount of $195,603 after a $15,000 trade-in amount for the current sweeper. The motion died for lack of a second. 

Greenwood then made a motion to accept Rose Equipment’s $189,362 bid for a new Global street sweeper after $12,500 trade-in. The motion died for lack of a second.

Council member Andrea Brueggeman asked what the difference was between the two machines. 

Greg Oliverius of Nebraska Environmental Products said it would be a long conversation because they are completely different.  

“We steer from the front, we operate from the front, we dump to the rear. They’re two completely opposite machines,” said Broz.

Greenwood questioned why the council was informed just three months ago that a new street sweeper was needed if it’s been in such bad condition. 

“We should have known about it and we could have done some research on this. But it got dropped on us three months ago, and it’s a little unfair to us. But ya know, that’s the way we seem to want to do things around here,” he said. 

Council member Kim Bishop made a motion to table the bids until the next meeting and obtain an inspection on the current sweeper from Rose Equipment. The motion passed unanimously. 

“I’m not trying to be derogatory toward your request,” Wyatt said to Bishop. “But I’m just saying, you may not work with machinery. They can give you a report. Do you still understand what they’re telling you?”

“I’ll know when I see it,” responded Bishop. “No disrespect. I understand, I’m joining the council late. I don’t know what’s been done prior to this, but I don’t have anything in writing.”

Greenwood said she had about as much information as the rest of them did, as they don’t know what’s wrong with the sweeper either.  

Garbage truck

During public comment, Beckler asked why the old garbage truck hadn’t been put up for sale. Greenwood said it had but was rejected twice. 

“We don’t have a plow. That’s the only reason I won’t approve selling it because we don’t have a plow on anything else,” said Greenwood.

Beckler said they won’t use it, so it’s just going to sit there and rot away. 

“I don’t see why we don’t sell it and get some money out of it. It hasn’t been used in the past few years more than a handful of times,” he said. 

He noted the council had an option to put a plow on the new garbage truck and they voted no. 

844 Logan

Sheriff Jim Brueggeman updated the council on the clean-up of 844 Logan Ave. The property was most recently declared a nuisance by the council on June 27, 2017 and abated on July 25, 2017. After the owner complied with requests to clean up the property, the council rescinded the nuisance on Sept. 26, 2017.

Health and safety concerns with the property have led the Nebraska State Board of Health to become involved. They are working with Sheriff Brueggeman, West Central Nebraska Development District and the owner of the property to get it cleaned up. 

Brueggeman informed the council that Steri-Clean, a hoarding clean-up company out of Denver, has been contracted to clean up the property Nov. 2-5. 

Administrator job open

The search for a new city administrator / superintendent is now underway. The council reviewed, discussed and approved the job description and salary range for the position. Resumes will be accepted through Dec. 3 and will be reviewed by the council on Dec. 11. 

Those interested can view the ad on page 9. The job has been vacant since Dana Harris’ resignation Sept. 30.

204 Hancock to CRA

The council unanimously voted to transfer ownership of 204 Hancock Ave., to the Community Redevelopment Authority. 

Liquor License approved

The council unanimously approved a liquor license for Middle of Nowhere Bar to serve alcohol at the Perkins County Fairgrounds for the Perkins County Health Services Foundation Gala on Dec. 8.