MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon City Council approved spending more than $736,000 to replace a vacuum truck and a street sweeper that have spent a lot of time in repair shops.
Councilmember Tammy Woods said during council committee meetings on Dec. 13 that the city will get a big discount if it buys the vacuum truck before the end of the year, with the price set at $452,399.
The city will keep the old truck for the Street Department to use when cleaning out catch basins. Mount Vernon had to borrow from Fredericktown when the old truck was broken down.
The cost for the new truck will come from water, wastewater and storm water funds to meet the purchase timeline.
Councilmember Mike Hillier asked Safety-Service Director Rick Dzik to give a little history on the old truck that was being replaced, saying it spent a lot of time in the shop.
“You are correct, it spent a good half of or a good chunk of the first half of this year getting a lot of repairs done," Dzik said. "It's still usable. But its life is limited."
The old truck also will serve as a backup to the new one.
“I hope we don't throw a whole lot more money at it because I know we've thrown a lot at that truck,” Woods said.
A new street sweeper will cost $283,986 if bought before 2022, Woods said. If the city waited until next year, it would cost 3% more – an additional $8,576.
Council approved the purchases through the state cooperative purchase plan.
