Monday, December 28, 2009

Johnston needs new snowplow, street sweeper

The blizzard earlier this month added some heft to Johnston public works director Dave Cubit's No. 1 request for the 2010-11 budget year: a new snowplow.

Cubit said it would cost about $100,000 for a single-axle dump truck with snow and ice removal equipment after trade-in. The trade-in vehicle itself is 9 years old. Cubit indicates it is standard that snowplows be replaced after seven years

"Having a newer fleet of equipment really cuts back our maintenance costs," said Cubit. His department makes up about 23 percent of Johnston's annual government operations budget - second only to public safety.

The other items on Cubit's wish list, in order of priority, are a street sweeper, outside maintenance and weatherizing to one of the public works buildings, a roadside mower boom attachment, additional traffic light LED conversions and a full-size pick-up with snowplow.

Replacing Johnston's two older street sweepers has already been passed over in the annual budget process for two consecutive years, Cubit said. It would cost $200,000 for a new machine after trading in the city's 10- and 15-year-old sweepers, which must be used to keep the city in compliance with its storm water permit.

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