Councilman slams brakes on truck purchase
The town of Pomfret cannot move forward with the purchase of a new piece of highway equipment — at least for now.
During a recent town board meeting, Councilman John Sedota single-handedly defeated a bond resolution for a $224,000 plow truck, as at least four board members needed to give their authorization and Councilwoman Ann Eckman was not present to vote. Supervisor Donald Steger and councilmen Brett Christy and Christopher Schaeffer voted in the affirmative.
Without the authorization of serial bonds, Highway Superintendent Daniel Bigelow cannot go ahead with his purchase of a 2018 Freightliner, which he says is badly needed since his current fleet is aging and crumbling.
Earlier in the meeting, resident and former highway superintendent Jim Oakes criticized Bigelow and the board for not considering a truck purchase with Cummins Inc. — a local employer and taxpayer — supplying the engine.
“Do you realize that Cummins’ (Jamestown) Engine Plant donated an engine to the Village of Fredonia Fire Department at the last truck they just bought?” Oakes questioned. “It’s kind of a slap in the face to Cummins that you’re not buying a Cummins engine with this truck. This company has really done a lot for this county … and I think that this town should support that as much as possible other than just turning your back on them and walking away.”
Oakes also brought up how the truck in question has an automatic transmission. He asked if that is necessary since a truck with a standard transmission is $12,700 less.
“We don’t really need a Cadillac; you’re having a hard time funding this as it is, and now you’re buying a Cadillac,” he remarked. “It doesn’t seem right to the taxpayers.”
Christy pointed out the truck is off a bid through Onondaga County, thus allowing the town to take advantage of the contractual pricing. Oakes countered by saying Chautauqua County has a bid out, as well.
Bigelow stated he went with an automatic transmission because it is difficult to find drivers who know how to operate a standard. Christy backed Bigelow up, noting most large vehicles these days — with the exception of over-the-road haulers — are automatic.
Oakes rebutted that claim, arguing there does not need to be a lot of gear shifting when plowing snow.
“For that kind of money and for what the economy is right now, what your tax base is right now, and your tax base is getting worse and worse, where’s the money?” Oakes asserted. “It just makes it so that the average taxpayer has to pay more money for all these things. Let’s be a little conservative on what you’re doing here. And if you can’t find a driver that can’t drive a standard, then don’t hire them, or put a training thing out there and train somebody how to drive one. I’ve trained many guys that I’ve hired …”
The current trucks in the town are all standard, as well, Oakes mentioned.
As for the engine, Bigelow explained he wanted something with a bit more horsepower in it and he did not believe Cummins provided that. Oakes argued Cummins does have the torque Bigelow needs, and the torque is what truly matters, not the horsepower.
Bigelow became visibly irritated toward the end of the discussion when he asked the board, “Can we move on?”
Sedota took a bit of time to think about his vote before casting it during the roll call. He said he agreed with Oakes on the points he brought up.
“I know I voted initially in favor of that truck and I accept responsibility for that fact, but I think the board should’ve really considered that (information),” he told the OBSERVER after the meeting. “I was kind of disappointed that some of the information when we voted on this wasn’t really considered.”
After some discussion, the board decided it could bring the bond resolution up for a second vote another time.
The town is pursuing $30,000 in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Development to help pay for the cost of a truck. The results of that application are still pending.
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