The Blue Mountains council has approved spending $1.2 million on three new snowplows.
At its committee of the whole meeting on June 27, council approved a staff report that recommended ending a pilot project and bringing three winter snowplow operator jobs in-house permanently. As part of the plan, the town must purchase three new snowplows to replace aging vehicles it currently owns.
The three positions were previously contracted out to the private sector. However, in 2018 the town brought the positions and the routes in-house under a pilot project. Staff said it was increasingly difficult to find contractors willing to take on municipal snowplowing routes during the winter. The pilot is scheduled to wrap up at the end of the winter of 2023.
Under the plan, the operator positions will become three permanent six-month operator positions.
“I want to stop it being a pilot project and make it full-time,” said Manager of Roads and Drainage Jim McCannell.
Staff estimated the tender process for the new snowplows would take 12-14 months and sought permission to start now in order to have the trucks in place for the fall of 2023. The town will tender for the trucks, but the snowplowing equipment will be standardized and sole-sourced through Viking-Cives in Mount Forest.
The town will borrow the money to cover the cost of the trucks internally and pay it back over time to avoid financing or debenture.
Council approved the recommendation with little discussion. Members of council did ask staff to check with Grey County and other local municipalities about teaming up on the tender for the trucks in an effort to reduce costs through a larger combined purchase. Staff said they would look into that option.
