Water Department Superintendent Jay Johnson intends to save Moulton money by converting a city-owned truck into the department’s daily dump truck.
Last year, the department requested funds to purchase a new dump truck be added to their budget for fiscal year 2023. However, after evaluating the current market, Johnson no longer believes purchasing a new dump truck is in the city’s best interest. Rising market prices place trucks at a premium.
After considering his options, Johnson thinks the department has found a suitable alternative.
“Our pulling truck, that we pull our excavator with now, has a dump system already on it,” said Johnson. “The bed just needs some higher alterations to make it into a daily use truck. The cheapest thing to do, and the best thing to do, and the easiest thing for us to do right now, is take that truck that we pull the excavator with and convert it to a dump truck.”
According to Johnson, converting the truck should be a quick job.
“Really all we’ve got to do is put side rails on it,” said Johnson.
“We could have this done in a couple of days.”
The truck, a 2012 Ford F-550, would become the department’s daily use dump truck. The department would use the budgeted money to purchase a replacement pulling truck.
“A new pulling truck would be… a good bit cheaper than buying a dump truck,” said Johnson.
The new pulling truck would be outfitted with a special truck bed to increase the department’s efficiency. Johnson previously planned to request a new service truck for next year’s fiscal budget; however, the new truck could fill both pulling and service roles.
“What we could do with a pulling truck is then put a service bed on it – a service bed meaning it’s got compartments on it for us to put our materials in,” said Johnson. “That keeps us from having to buy a dump truck and turning around and buying another service truck.”
The department’s current service truck is “wore out” and due for a replacement.
“We put a motor in it a few years ago to get us by, but it’s just wore out,” said Johnson.
But Johnson says replacing the truck would be an unnecessary expense to the city. Putting a service bed on a new pulling truck would kill two birds with one stone.
“That’s just the easiest thing to do. Overall, it’s going to be a lot cheaper than buying two $80 or $90,000 trucks within the next 24 months,” said Johnson. “Just convert that one truck, make it a pulling truck and a service truck.”
The department did not have exact figures to present, but Mayor Roger Weatherwax said the information should be available by the next city council meeting.
“I’ve contacted Ford, I’ve contacted Chevrolet about state bid prices on them,” said Weatherwax. “The trucks look like they’re going to be in the $40 to $50,000 range – probably another $10,000 for a diesel motor.”
The council also discussed the department’s plan to build an enclosure around the city’s water pumps to protect them from the weather. The electric pumps froze during the Christmas flash freeze.
Police Chief Craig Knight requested approval to advertise an open officer position. Officer Adam Lance resigned from the Moulton Police Department to join the Trinity police force. His last day was Monday, Jan. 23. Knight further requested approval for two trips: the Peer Support Conference in Dothan for himself and a special firearm training in Stapleton for two Moulton officers.
Fire Chief Brian Phillips presented a letter of intent between Moulton Fire Department and Hillsboro Area Volunteer Fire Department. The agreement is for Moulton to purchase a 1999 Becker Freightliner Mid-Pumper for $22,000. Hillsboro will also receive a 1992 Ford One Ton Mini-Pumper. Phillips plans to convert the pumper into a rescue truck to help the department’s ISO rating.
Phillips also requested approval to advertise an open position within the department. Fireman Daniel Dudley’s Army Reserve commitment requires him to serve as a recruiter until 2026.
Parks and Recreation Director Deangelo McDaniel updated the council on the tornado damage at H.A. Alexander Park, the Moulton Recreation Center, and the new travel ball fields. According to McDaniel, the Alexander Park baseball fields and the recreation center basketball court were temporarily repaired to allow baseball and basketball to be played safely. However, both will require further repairs in the future.
The new travel ball fields will be unfit to host games for several months. Extensive repairs are required across the complex.
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