By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
At last month’s Great Bend City Council meeting, the governing body delayed
the purchase of a $514,000 Vac-Con Combination truck for the Public Works
Department. The council stated they needed more time to research the large
expense. At Monday’s meeting, the board approved the purchase of the 2023 Freightliner
Combination truck from Red Equipment that can vacuum both wet and dry materials
and release water pressure to flush out debris lodged in a pipe, useful
equipment when dealing with water main breaks.
Great Bend Utilities Superintendent Reuben Martin said Key Equipment &
Supply provided a bid that was more than $12,000 cheaper, but the Public Works
Department liked the warranty, water pump and fan on the Red Equipment Vac-Con
better.
"We can not complain about the trucks," said Martin. "That's not what this is. This is not a slight to one truck or the other. There are just a couple of things on the Vac-Con that our guys liked a little better. I take pretty heavy compensation for what my guys tell me about equipment. I'm standing out there on the side of the road while they're running the vehicle."
Key Equipment does have a local service technician, but major repairs for both
the Red Equipment and Key Equipment trucks would need to go to Kansas City.
Great Bend has two combination vacuum trucks, but the 2001 model is unusable
because the fan has delaminated. Martin said the 2016 model just had its
suspension repaired.
"We are using the 2016 model strictly for sanitary sewer right now, that way there is no extra wear," said Martin. "It will only be used in emergency situations."
The city uses two vacuum trucks to clean city lines and sanitary sewer line cleaning. Great Bend annually cleans lift stations with one truck while the other is being utilized for normal cleaning. The combination trucks are used for hydro excavation to assist the water department in the event of main breaks.
With the trade-in of the 2001 truck, the new price for the 2023 Vac-Con is
$504,216.50. The Public Works Department has FEMA reimbursement funds and
unencumbered money in the street/storm/sewer fund that would give the city a
down payment of $353,505.76. The council approved a 48-month, 4% interest lease
purchase agreement with First Kansas Bank to cover the remaining cost of
$150,710.74.
The annual payment to First Kansas Bank will be $41,576.95. The city is currently scheduling $40,000 annually to be put back in the Capital Outlay for a vacuum truck that will be used to pay the lease purchase annual payment.