SAUGUS-There will be no street sweeper coming home to roost anytime soon since Town Meeting members put a request to purchase one on hold.
Town Meeting members Al DiNardo and Rick Smith sponsored a warrant article during Monday’s special Town Meeting that sought to purchase a street sweeper for the town because they believe it will save the town money. Department of Public Works Superintendent Joseph Attubato disagrees.
Smith however offered to send the article back to the Finance Committee for a full cost analysis on purchasing a street sweeper versus contracting out services twice a year.
DiNardo argued that as of January 2010 the Environmental Protection Agency will require communities to sweep their streets twice a year as part of the clean waters act. He said last year the town paid roughly $30,000 to have the streets swept. Bump that up to twice a year, and the town will be forced to budget at least $60,000 for the service.
DiNardo said the town could purchase a sweeper of its own for $158,000, which he believed would pay for itself.
“Even if it cost $170,000, it would be worth it,” Smith said. “We’ve bought lawn mowers and snow throwers . . . DPW said we have no experience to determine this but I don’t think you have to be experienced to see sand and debris in the streets.”
DiNardo also rebuffed a comment made in a letter from Attubato that said he didn’t have a handle on the situation. He said he believes swept streets are a basic service and that Everett and Chelsea both seem to have cleaner streets than Saugus, but Wakefield is the town they should model.
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