Cloverdale officials opt to repair city dump truck

Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 6:07 PM

By Paul Gable

Cloverdale Town Council reached a decision when it came to what to do with its dump truck

After months of discussion and waiting, the Cloverdale Town Council reached a decision when it came to what to do with its dump truck and whether or not the town would look at either leasing or purchasing a new vehicle Tuesday night.

In a 3-1 decision, council voted in favor of spending up to $12,500 to get the truck replaced. Council vice president Brice Howell recused himself from the vote.

At question was what the town should do with its dump truck, which has a blown head gasket. Both Howell and town council president Brandon Tancak had been vocal about urging council members to act on the best financial decision for a town that has several projects on the horizon.

Howell echoed that sentiment again Tuesday night, telling his fellow council members that it would be "ignorant" to entertain a lease option or spend upwards of $70,000 on a new truck when the current truck needed to be fixed.

"It's in the town's best interest and my personal opinion to fix the truck and budget to buy. We have to fix the truck anyway. Do I think we need a new one? Absolutely, but it needs fixed. Once we fix it and fix it like this, that truck will run until the body falls out," Howell said.

That was a theme that Tancak had also been stressing during council meetings.

"I think it would be wise to repair the dump truck. With inflation, say it costs us $100,000 in five years. Simple math, we budget 20 grand a year, instead of stroking a check," Tancak said.

Tancak said as of three months ago, he was told it would cost $11,900 to repair the truck.