By Justin Brisbane
Justin@canmoreleader.com
A change to the town’s fleet purchase plan will save $50,000, according to Andreas Comeau, acting senior manager of Public Works.
Council agreed to change the budget for the 2008 fleet review to allow the town to make adjustments to the 2008 purchase plan. The town originally approved a $458,000 budget for the fleet purchase. After much maneuvering, the town will now spend $408,000 to complete the same tasks.
In the end, the town will purchase a used three-tonne gravel truck, a 5-tonne truck with a tandem and roll-off system, a new 1 tonne waste collection vehicle, a fleet accessory package that includes a flat deck trailer, snow plow/sander and roll-off containers, and a new 1-tonne garbage truck.
The move will allow the town to save money as well as add some versatility to its current public works fleet, Comeau said.
The town will purchase a new 5-tonne tandem and rolloff truck for $126,000. That truck, which has a flatbed, will be used for a variety of uses, as it will be outfitted with a fleet accessory package.
That package includes roll-off containers for recycling pickup, a flat deck trailer and a snow plow/sander. The truck could also be used to transfer vehicles to Calgary. That currently costs the town $2,000 per trip.
The accessory package will cost the town $48,000. Instead of buying a $100,0000 Haul-All Vacuum compactor that was to be used to pick up plastic milk jugs (a cost that was to be shared with the town of Banff), the town will purchase the fleet accessory package instead. The roll-off containers will be used to collect the milk jugs, as well as other rigid plastics and leaf and yard waste.
This move was required after the City of Calgary indicated it will no longer pick up Canmore’s milk jugs.
By outfitting its truck with the accessory package, Comeau said the town will be able to continue its milk jug program.
The town currently uses a roll-off service for leaf pick-up, but it is contracted out to an outside party. Comeau said the town will save $30,000 a year if that contract is brought in-house.
Comeau said the town will also replace its 22-year old snow plow truck with a newer three-tonne gravel truck, which the town has budgeted $65,000 for. Comeau said if they take the trade-in of the snowplow into account, they will be able to purchase an 2003 or 2005 gravel truck for about $65,000.
He said there has already been interest from other parties who wish to purchase the old snow plow.
‘It’s currently not certified, and to get it certified would cost $15,000,” Comeau said.
Comeau will also see the town purchase a new one-tonne truck for about $49,000. The actual purchase price will be higher, but Comeau factored in the cost of trading in the town’s current 1997 Ford one tonne truck. That unit will be used for a number of jobs in town, Comeau said, and will be outfitted with a plow during the winter months.
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