City council OKs two additional sanitation trucks
WILLIAMS, Ariz. — A need for garbage trucks and a city administrative vehicle were two priorities on the city council agenda at the Sept. 13 meeting.
The council approved the purchase of a new $198,000 side loader and a used $55,000 side loader for the sanitation department.
According to Jeff Pettit, foreman for the Sanitation Department at the city of Williams, the new truck will replace an outdated truck for the department. Pettit said the age of the truck makes it difficult to find replacement parts.
“It’s replacing one that’s going to cost anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000 to get repaired,” Pettit said. “It has a bad fuel pressure system and the floor has never been replaced. It is almost 15 years old.”
Pettit said the new truck will do four runs to Flagstaff each week to drop refuse, and the used side loader will be used for regular trash pick-up.
Mayor John Moore said he would like to see an extensive study done on the city’s sanitation program.
“I have seen trash blown around town outside of the containers, sometimes a block or two blocks away,” he said. “My question is are we going to do things the same over the next 20 years that we have done the past 20 years?”
Pettit said it would be difficult for the city to go to a front load system since there are many locations that will not accommodate that size.
“But if it ever goes to a front load system, there is a way to weld a front load arm on to them,” he said.
Pettit said the Sanitation Department is also attempting to limit the amount of trash blown out of cans around town.
“We are welding the lids shut so all you have is a two to three foot opening, then the lids can’t be left open,” he said.
Administration
The Williams City Council also approved the purchase of a $61,000 Ford Expedition administrative vehicle at the council meeting.
City Clerk Pam Galvan said the vehicle will be used by staff to attend meetings and trainings in locations around the state.
“We use vehicles loaned to us from the police department, which sometimes they don’t have something adequate for our staff going to Phoenix or wherever they need to go,” Moore said. “In the past we have always had an administrative vehicle.”
Galvan said the Ford Expedition will allow the city to transport eight passengers.
Housing Authority
Williams Hospital District board member George Glen announced that Guy Mikkelsen has been hired as the new executive director of the Housing Authority.
Mikkelsen is the former director of the Williams Food Bank and manages the St. Agnes senior apartments in Williams.
“I’d like to thank George and the Board of Commissioners, I’m excited to be the new director for the Housing Authority,” Mikkelsen said. “What I’m able to do there I hope will energize the housing for the low income people in our town.”
Health clinic update
Glen also gave a brief update of progress on the new health clinic.
Glen said people have wondered about the height of the foundation. He said the foundation has been raised 4.5 feet because of the existing flood plain.
“We are about to pour the foundations, we are on schedule for (opening) for fall of 2019,” he said.
Glen said services continue in the existing facility although people are experiencing difficulties with parking.
Historic Preservation
The city council approved a pass-through grant for the Historic Preservation Committee.
The group has been awarded an $8,000 grant to be used for various projects at the visitor center for design guidelines.
Airport hangar rentals
Brad Olson, fixed-based operator (FBO) at H.A. Clark Airport requested the city reconsider the monthly lease rate for hangar rentals at the airport.
Olsen said the hangars are currently leased on a yearly rate at $325 per month. He said the price is higher than many other hangar locations and believes that reducing the rate would garner more interest in the hangars.
He said currently five of the 10 hangars are rented out.
Olsen said he had several prospective renters who may be interested if the price was lower.
Moore said he believes the city would do better by having all of the hangars rented at a lower rate than just a few at the higher rate.
The council approved a reduced monthly hangar rental at $290 per month, with the possibility of cost negotiations for present renters.
APS fee request
Brenda Hazlett and Erin Creekmur requested an additional $25,000 for forestry work being performed by APS.
The city is currently paying APS to remove brush as fire prevention measures around APS poles throughout the city.
Hazlett and Creekmur said there are 120 units of work left, with 100 of those on Bill Williams Mountain.
Hazlett said when she initially calculated the rates and unit pricing, she miscalculated the cost.
City councilmember Lee Payne asked why the cost was higher.
“I feel that $25,000 is a lot to be off to me, that’s quite a bit. So what has changed, is there more out there to do or has chainsaw mix become a little more expensive?” he asked.
Hazlett said it had nothing to do with the scope of work and units listed.
“What happened was that I erroneously used the last years O&M agreement for what the costs would be not realizing it had been updated for 2018,” Hazlett said.
Although the council was concerned with the additional request for money, Hazlett explained the cost was still under the proposed budget of $140,000 presented to the council in the fall of 2017.
“I remember asking if this was the bottom line, and was told yes,” Moore said.
Hazlett said there was a provision in the letter that allowed APS to come back to council and present if there was a change.
“Well if that was in the letter, I accept the letter. I don’t see we have any choice,” Moore said.
Council approved the additional funds with Frank McNelly being the one dissenting vote.
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