The Duncan Banner

Local News

March 14, 2010

Council split on items

Kevin Kerr

When Duncan City Council members met Tuesday, they were going to consider the purchase of a new dump truck, two pickups and a utility bed for the Water Distribution department. It has only one dump truck for its operations.

But approving the items which were on the consent agenda, didn’t happen as Vice Mayor Ricky Mayes elected to pull them for further discussion. The consent agenda is usually an easy task for the council members.

In the council’s discussion, concerns were raised about making the purchases at a time when revenue is down and the economy is shaky.

Public Utilities Director Scott Vaughn said the dump truck proposal was brought to the agenda a couple of years ago to replace a truck that was given to the Duncan Lakes department.

The idea at that time was to give the older dump truck to the lakes department, and the water department would receive the new truck.

The other pickups were budgeted to replace aging equipment in the department. The pickups they will be replacing are around 10 years old and don’t have much mileage on them, but Vaughn said that isn’t the issue with the pickups.

“The mileage isn’t high, but the hours run are,” Vaughn said. “This is actually harder on them that if they had a lot of miles on them.”

Members of the council had issues spending the money for equipment when the tax revenue is down and the economy isn’t good in Duncan, but Vaughn assured the council that the equipment was necessary.

“We don’t put anything in the agenda that isn’t needed,” Vaughn said. “This department has to respond to emergencies at all hours and in all weather conditions. We need to know the vehicles will start and perform every time they’re needed.”

The council discussed at length the importance of not only saving money, but the importance of the equipment needed. Councilman Michael Hale said that it was not the council’s intention to completely write off the equipment, but simply to defer it until the council sees it absolutely necessary to replace the trucks, or until tax revenues begin to rebound and the economy picks up. He did however, suggest that they council approve the dump truck, but defer on the pickups and the utility bed.

“Sometimes plans have to be altered,” Hale said. “Maybe it will be easier if they don’t buy them all at one time.”

The council agreed, and unanimously passed the purchase of the dump truck, but deferred the purchase of the pickups and the utility bed, both with 3-2 votes.

The council also discussed and approved a change order for the Fuqua bath house renovation for $23,065. Duncan Community Development Director Dana Schoening said this is due to more issues coming to light than previously thought.

“We want to protect our investment,” Schoening said.



-Kevin Kerr is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354 Ext. 147 or by e-mail at kevin.kerr@duncanbanner.com.

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