WEST WINDSOR: Council OKs new truck purchase

By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   WEST WINDSOR — After considerable discussion, the West Windsor Council authorized the purchase of a $56,000 2012 Ford F550 truck for the Public Works Department with a 4 to 1 vote at the Feb. 27 meeting.
   The purchase was delayed for two weeks when Councilman Bryan Maher asked the council if it could get an inventory of the department’s current fleet of trucks before spending the money.
   Mr. Maher said that after looking over the facilities and equipment, he still didn’t see a need to buy the new truck. He estimated there were 51 trucks with 20 having special functions.
   ”I would like to be supportive of the Department of Public Works people, but it seems like they have an awful lot of trucks there,” he said.
   The 2012 vehicle is a new mason dump truck that will be used to plow snow and haul the township’s chipper to use for brush removal. It will be replacing a 1999 Dodge dump truck in need of a new motor, transmission and suspension.
   Business administrator Robert Hary estimated the parts alone needed to fix the old truck would run up to almost $8,000 — not including labor.
   The new truck will have a 550 cubic inch engine, making it heavier and stronger than the old truck’s 350 cubic inch engine. Mr. Hary said the reason for the pricier upgrade was because smaller trucks have a more difficult time plowing snow.
   The old truck must also be operated by a commercially licensed driver, which limits the number of workers who can drive it.
   Councilman George Borek estimated that around eight public works employees do not have commercial driver licenses.
   ”The new truck will allow the public works director to send those individuals — it gives the department flexibility,” he said.