Wellington North purchases grader, sidewalk machine within budget

WELLINGTON NORTH – Council here has approved the purchase of a new sidewalk machine from Premier Equipment Ltd. and a new grader from Brandt Tractor Ltd.

At a tax-in cost of $71,827, the sidewalk machine will replace a 2015 Kubota in Arthur which had accumulated 4,100 operating hours, meeting the township’s fleet management policy minimum of 4,000 hours to qualify for replacement.

This coming summer, the machine will be used for cutting grass and sweeping, and in the winter, snow removal.

At a tax-in cost of $507,324, a new grader will replace a 2001 Volvo presently based at the township’s Luther shop. The grader has exceeded the township’s minimum operating hours to qualify for replacement by 3,050 hours, with a total of 13,050 operating hours clocked on the grader.

The grader will be used for removing snow next winter and for road grading during the 2023 construction season.

Staff state in a report to council on the recommended purchases that the new machines “will ensure road operation service levels are maintained while reducing the annual operating costs associated with repairs and maintenance of existing equipment.”

According to township operations director Matt Aston, the sidewalk machine is expected to arrive during the summer and the grader by the end of October.

A total of $610,000 was allocated for the purchase of the new equipment in this year’s budget with a tax-in total of $579,151 quoted between the sidewalk machine and grader, coming in at $30,849 under budget.

The older machines will be auctioned off once new equipment is received, and the township expects to bring in a total of $35,000 from the auctions.