The Wright City Parks and Public Works Departments will have a new piece of equipment soon.
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The Wright City Parks and Public Works Departments will have a new piece of equipment soon as they received approval to purchase a 2024 Ford F-250 XL Regular Cab at the Oct.10 Wright City Board of Aldermen meeting.
Parks Director Stuart Bruning requested the truck because the parks department’s current vehicle has fallen into disrepair, and he said he often has to use his personal vehicle when on the job.
“It would enhance operational efficiency, safety and visibility in our community. As our department grows, we have more employees, the need for multiple vehicles becomes a priority. In addition to our current vehicle, the new truck would serve a dual purpose for both parks and as you (Alderman Ramiz Hakim) outlined, public works, for snowplowing,” said Bruning.
They also plan to outfit the truck with equipment for plowing and salting roads, so that it can be used by the public works department in the event of heavy snow.
“I don’t find what we have sufficient, at this moment, we have two trucks that are capable of spreading,” said Public Works Director Kyle Roettger. “The city’s getting bigger with the subdivisions getting built out, we really need three to four that are capable of spreading salt.”
Bruning said he also planned to use the truck for general maintenance at the city’s parks, and that a large reason for the size of the truck was so it could be used to haul and use the water tank to water landscaping.
Board members conceded that the need for a new vehicle was clear, but Alderman Don Andrews questioned whether the truck they were looking to purchase was the most fiscally responsible option.
“I personally think this is a lot of truck,” said Andrews.
Discussion ensued with both Bruning and Roettger outlining the need for the vehicle.
Bruning said the current parks department truck was falling into disrepair and would need to be replaced soon anyway, and Roettger reiterated the public works department’s needs.
In total the bid for the truck was $78,061, with roughly $48,000 going towards the truck and the rest of the funds going towards equipping the truck to plow and salt roads.
Bruning said he planned to put $18,800 towards the truck this year from the parks department fund and borrow from the city’s general fund for the remaining balance. He said he would allocate just over $12,000 a year for the next five years to repay the general fund.
The funds from the parks department were originally budgeted to cover the position of a sports coordinator, a position that remains open. Bruning said he was comfortable with prioritizing a truck over an additional employee and accepted that he would likely shoulder the additional work himself.
“As we currently stand even with the maintenance staff that I have, they don’t always have a vehicle they can use,” said Bruning. “And if they’re using the parks vehicle then I’m using my own personal vehicle, … And so at this point we’re really in a place where we have to prioritize that first.”
The board would eventually approve the purchase of the truck unanimously.