South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Vehicle purchases totaling $176,000 OK’d by aldermen

Board to consider purchase of 2.5-ton dump truck Feb. 10

The Crestwood Board of Aldermen voted last week to adopt ordinances approving vehicle purchases totaling roughly $176,500.

Aldermen also delayed consideration of an ordinance approving the purchase of a 2.5-ton dump truck at a cost of $116,662.

The board will consider the purchase of the dump truck when it meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Government Center, 1 Detjen Drive.

Aldermen voted 7-0 to adopt an ordinance approving the purchase of two 2015 Ford Police Interceptors at a total cost of $52,714. Ward 3 Alderman Bill Boston was absent from the Jan. 27 meeting.

The all-wheel drive SUVs will be purchased from Lou Fusz Ford in Chesterfield. The vehicles are being bought through the state’s Cooperative Purchasing Program.

In a memo to City Administrator Mark Sime, Police Chief Frank Arnoldy wrote, “The Police Department purchased two Ford SUVs in 2014, and these vehicles have been well-received by the officers and the public.”

Aldermen voted 7-0 to adopt an ordinance approving the $26,433 purchase of a 2015 Ford Explorer that will be utilized as a staff vehicle for the assistant fire chief. The vehicle will be purchased from Machens Ford, which submitted the lowest bid, Fire Chief Mark Menning wrote in a memo to Sime.

“This vehicle will replace a 2003 Tahoe with 94,000 miles. This vehicle is beginning to increase our vehicle maintenance costs,” Menning wrote.

The purchase of a 2016 Ford Super Duty F-450 1-ton dump truck with a plow and spreader at a cost not to exceed $71,707 was approved with a 7-0 vote by aldermen. The truck is being purchased through a Missouri Department of Transportation, or MoDOT, contract, which “is presently awaiting final approval,” Superintendent of Maintenance Brian Hibdon wrote in a memo to Director of Public Services Jim Gillam.

The dump truck will be used for snow removal and street and park operations.

The new vehicle will replace a truck that is 17 years old with 52,000 miles.

“Maintenance costs to date have exceeded $27,000,” Hibdon wrote. “The frame, body and fuel systems are extremely rusted. The engine and transmission have a history of multiple repairs. The injector pump and fuel tank have recently been replaced as well.

“This truck is vital to snow removal and all other aspects of the Public Works Maintenance Division.”

The board voted 7-0 to approve the purchase of a 2015 Ford F-250 three-quarter-ton pickup truck at a total cost of $25,684.

That cost includes a power lift gate that will be purchased and installed.

The vehicle is being purchased from Joe Machens Ford under a MoDOT contract, Hibdon wrote.

The pickup will be used for daily street and park operations. The new vehicle will replace a pickup that is 19 years old with 77,500 miles.

“Maintenance costs to date have exceeded $21,000,” Hibdon wrote. “The frame, body and fuel systems are extremely rusted and no longer reliable. The brake(s), engine, steering and transmission have all received multiple repairs. The truck is currently limited to ‘in-city-use’ only and not allowed on the highway.”

Board members discussed the purchase of the 2.5-ton dump truck at length, before deciding to table the matter until Feb. 10.

The vehicle primarily would be used for snow removal, and aldermen discussed the city’s projected 2015 deficit of more than $600,000 and whether the purchase of the vehicle could be postponed a few months.

As proposed, the 2015 International dump truck would be purchased from Viking-Cives Midwest Inc under a MoDOT contract. The new vehicle would replace a dump truck that is 16 years old with 54,034 miles and multiple mechanical issues.

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