SECAUCUS -- Log on to www.GovDeals.com and among the rusted clunkers from Pikesville, Md., and Boise, Idaho, there are a few equally shabby offerings from the town of Secaucus.
Sort of like the eBay of government auctions, GovDeals.com allows local municipalities to sell off old back hoes and fire trucks online. So what’s Secaucus parting with?
Well, there’s a 1991 Ravo street sweeper, a 1975 front end loader, and enough Ford Crown Victorias to outfit a small police department.
But don’t get too excited. Town Administrator David Drumeler openly admits that several of the items have more rust than paint, and none of the vehicles would even be appropriate to give to a new teenage driver. But the items are good for generating some quick cash for the town and dumping some old stuff – what Drumeler called “surplus” – onto the junk collector.
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Man, city settle street-sweeper suit
A Janesville resident who claimed he was almost run down by a runaway city street sweeper has settled with the city for $16,336.
The settlement recently was reached with the help of a mediator. A trial had been scheduled for Nov. 2.
According to the civil complaint, Kevin B. Speich of 1129 E. Milwaukee St. sustained head and neck injuries when he jumped out of the way to avoid the street sweeper June 18, 2007. The street sweeper also damaged his garage, contents and landscaping, the complaint states.
According to the accident report, the vehicle's driver, Dennis L. Schultz, put it in park to move an abandoned bicycle in the street.
When he put the bike inside the street sweeper, it put pressure on the gas pedal, causing the street sweeper to jump the curb. It struck a tree and hit the garage, narrowly avoiding vehicles parked inside, Speich said at the time.
The complaint says Schultz was negligent in operating the street sweeper and the city was negligent in failing to maintain the sweeper and failing to train the driver.
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The settlement recently was reached with the help of a mediator. A trial had been scheduled for Nov. 2.
According to the civil complaint, Kevin B. Speich of 1129 E. Milwaukee St. sustained head and neck injuries when he jumped out of the way to avoid the street sweeper June 18, 2007. The street sweeper also damaged his garage, contents and landscaping, the complaint states.
According to the accident report, the vehicle's driver, Dennis L. Schultz, put it in park to move an abandoned bicycle in the street.
When he put the bike inside the street sweeper, it put pressure on the gas pedal, causing the street sweeper to jump the curb. It struck a tree and hit the garage, narrowly avoiding vehicles parked inside, Speich said at the time.
The complaint says Schultz was negligent in operating the street sweeper and the city was negligent in failing to maintain the sweeper and failing to train the driver.
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sykesville mulls capital improvement budget
SYKESVILLE — Town officials held a workshop Monday to discuss the capital improvement program budgets of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.
The most expensive items discussed included $265,000 for street paving, $160,000 for a new trash truck and $32,000 for a new police vehicle.
Other items on the list included a possible new mower, street sweeper, trash can replacements and a sign for Cooper Park.
Council members will give their recommendations to the Budget Research Committee, which will likely meet next month.
“We’re going to try to put together some document based on our notes here,” Mayor Mike Miller said.
Earlier this month, the town changed the way it prioritizes major projects.
Town officials will establish priorities through the capital improvement plan and then submit them for analysis to the Budget Research Committee.
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The most expensive items discussed included $265,000 for street paving, $160,000 for a new trash truck and $32,000 for a new police vehicle.
Other items on the list included a possible new mower, street sweeper, trash can replacements and a sign for Cooper Park.
Council members will give their recommendations to the Budget Research Committee, which will likely meet next month.
“We’re going to try to put together some document based on our notes here,” Mayor Mike Miller said.
Earlier this month, the town changed the way it prioritizes major projects.
Town officials will establish priorities through the capital improvement plan and then submit them for analysis to the Budget Research Committee.
Read Full Article
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Athens allocates nearly $100k for sewer project
ATHENS, ALABAMA - The Athens City Council appropriated $98,875 in matching funds for the new sewer project at Cottonwood Subdivision.
The money is a grant match made by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
The council also voted to name the Clements Fire Department building Oak Grove Fire Station.
The building on Cowford Road will still house the fire department - only the name will change.
Budgeted travel expenses totaled at $985 were approved for the Water Department, and the council also voted to make the Friday following Thanksgiving a city holiday - giving employees an additional day off.
A contract was approved for sidewalk cleaning and street sweeping during Monday night's meeting. Pinnacle Power Sweeping will hold the contract for $2,500 a month for a year's lease, with the terms being negotiated monthly.
Currently, the streets are cleaned on Sunday nights. However, several council members voiced concerns about changing the date of cleaning to Friday or Saturday night in order to help downtown look its best for the weekend.
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The money is a grant match made by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
The council also voted to name the Clements Fire Department building Oak Grove Fire Station.
The building on Cowford Road will still house the fire department - only the name will change.
Budgeted travel expenses totaled at $985 were approved for the Water Department, and the council also voted to make the Friday following Thanksgiving a city holiday - giving employees an additional day off.
A contract was approved for sidewalk cleaning and street sweeping during Monday night's meeting. Pinnacle Power Sweeping will hold the contract for $2,500 a month for a year's lease, with the terms being negotiated monthly.
Currently, the streets are cleaned on Sunday nights. However, several council members voiced concerns about changing the date of cleaning to Friday or Saturday night in order to help downtown look its best for the weekend.
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Monday, November 9, 2009
Street sweeper destroyed by fire
During its busiest time of the year, a City of Winfield street sweeper was destroyed by fire Thursday afternoon east of Winfield. The street sweeper was less than a year old, Winfield City Manager Warren Porter said.
At 1:41 p.m. Tuesday firefighters were notified of a street sweeper on fire east of 131st (Frog Hollow Road) on U.S. 160. They arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the sweeper, as well as a small grass fire started by the burning vehicle.
The smoke and fire left a portion of U.S. 160 closed for over an hour.
Within three minutes of firefighters’ arrival, the fire was under control, Lt. Justin Crawford of the Winfield Fire Department said.
Although winds were high at the time of the fire, the grass fire did not spread beyond the ditch.
“We got kind of lucky with that,” Crawford said. “Since it was on the south side of the road it was just back burn.”
The 2009 Elgin street sweeper, purchased in May for over $180,000, was a total loss, Crawford said. Preliminary investigation points to an electrical problem, he said.
Porter’s first question — and one he believes many concerned citizens will have — was, “why was a city street sweeper out on the highway?”
According to Porter, the answer is a problem faced by many municipalities and contractors: emissions.
All diesel trucks and pieces of equipment must be taken to highway speed for at least 15 miles to clear emissions and keep the vehicles’ filters clear, Porter said. For a street sweeper, he said, that happens almost twice a week.
“Because we don’t drive our vehicles on the highway (in service),” Porter said, “we have to do so to clear out the emissions and filters.”
According to Porter, the fire’s timing couldn’t be worse.
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At 1:41 p.m. Tuesday firefighters were notified of a street sweeper on fire east of 131st (Frog Hollow Road) on U.S. 160. They arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the sweeper, as well as a small grass fire started by the burning vehicle.
The smoke and fire left a portion of U.S. 160 closed for over an hour.
Within three minutes of firefighters’ arrival, the fire was under control, Lt. Justin Crawford of the Winfield Fire Department said.
Although winds were high at the time of the fire, the grass fire did not spread beyond the ditch.
“We got kind of lucky with that,” Crawford said. “Since it was on the south side of the road it was just back burn.”
The 2009 Elgin street sweeper, purchased in May for over $180,000, was a total loss, Crawford said. Preliminary investigation points to an electrical problem, he said.
Porter’s first question — and one he believes many concerned citizens will have — was, “why was a city street sweeper out on the highway?”
According to Porter, the answer is a problem faced by many municipalities and contractors: emissions.
All diesel trucks and pieces of equipment must be taken to highway speed for at least 15 miles to clear emissions and keep the vehicles’ filters clear, Porter said. For a street sweeper, he said, that happens almost twice a week.
“Because we don’t drive our vehicles on the highway (in service),” Porter said, “we have to do so to clear out the emissions and filters.”
According to Porter, the fire’s timing couldn’t be worse.
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