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City poised to buy two dump trucks

By Caroline Trowbridge - | Mar 1, 2006

Tonganoxie City Council members on Monday approved the purchase of two dump trucks, at a total cost of $169,000.

One of the trucks will be used to haul sludge from the sewage treatment plant, and the other will be used by the street department and will include a snow plow, as well as salt- and sand-spreading attachments. The city had budgeted $175,000 for the trucks.

Butch Rodgers, city superintendent, told city council members that his crews had looked at the trucks, which should arrive in Tonganoxie in three to five months.

“Everybody had an opportunity to give their input into these vehicles,” Rodgers said, adding they will be part of the city’s fleet for a long time. “When I say a long time, it will probably be 20 years or longer.”

The $76,567 truck for the sewage treatment plant and the $92,490 truck for the street department will be purchased from International. Both were low bids among five received, Rodgers said.

The council also unanimously approved the purchase of a $24,447 heavy-equipment trailer for the street department. The city had budgeted $30,000 for that equipment.

In other business Monday night, council members:

  • Unanimously agreed to authorize Pat Cox of BG Consultants, the city’s engineering firm, to purchase a new belt filter press for the city’s sewage treatment plant. Cox said he would purchase the press for $185,000 from U.S. Filter Co. In addition, the council authorized him to negotiate with BRB Contractors, which built the new sewer plant, to install the press and make structural and electrical modifications. The cost of the press, once installed, will be about $293,750, Cox said.

Cox also told council members that the sewer plant project has won the Kansas Environmental Award, given annually by the Kansas Contractors Association. The award will be presented at an upcoming council meeting, Cox said.

  • Unanimously agreed to spend up to $43,500 for engineering work on Fourth Street, from the bridge near the fire station east to South Park residential subdivision. The city plans to install a water line on the north side of Fourth Street in that area, and next year city crews want to add sidewalks, curbs, gutters and storm sewers to that stretch. The city’s engineering firm, BG Consultants, will handle the engineering.
  • Met in executive session for 15 minutes with local Realtor J.W. Evans, city attorney Mike Kelly and City Administrator Mike Yanez to discuss acquisition of real estate. Following the session, the council voted unanimously to authorize the city attorney to begin negotiations with property owners for easements along the path of a planned water line that will stretch from 142nd Street to Tonganoxie. The line will carry water from the Board of Public Utilities in Kansas City, Kan., to Tonganoxie.
  • Unanimously agreed to allow the city administrator to begin advertising for companies to submit proposals for two new signs at the city’s east and south entrances on U.S. Highway 24-40. The new signs would replace ones that the administrator referred to as “termite-infested.” In the 2006 budget, the council had approved $20,000 for signs.
  • Agreed to contract with local resident Cheryl Hanback for photographs to be used in promotional materials for the city. Hanback will charge the city $10 for each photograph. “We would envision the city would expend less than $750 for a photo collection,” City Administrator Mike Yanez said.