The Blytheville City Council's Streets and Drainage Committee approved Public Works' request to purchase a 2006 John Deere backhoe from United Rental during its regular monthly meeting, Thursday night.
The Blytheville company chopped off $1,000 from the original price, offering to sell the backhoe for $37,500.
The committee asked Public Works Director Marvin Crawford to counteroffer with $35,000, though Crawford has the option to pay up to the reduced asking price if he so chooses. However, the City Council would have to approve the purchase because it exceeds the $20,000 threshold.
The backhoe includes a new ram attachment to bust up asphalt and concrete for street repairs, along with a bucket, claw and a much-needed forklift attachment.
Crawford noted the machine has about 1,600 hours on it.
"I would strongly urge us to waive any bidding process to purchase that piece of equipment," Crawford said.
Councilman Kevin Snow, who made the motion to buy the backhoe, said he supported the move as long as funds are available.
Councilman Stan Parks, chairman of the Streets and Drainage Committee, noted the city can pay for the equipment at the end of the month using infrastructure funds. Parks pointed out that around Aug. 25, the city should receive $52,000-55,000 from the quarter-cent tax.
Crawford said the proposed backhoe has more features than Public Works' 2010 backhoe, which was purchased for $85,000 three years ago and won't be paid off for another two years.
"It sounds like a bargain," Parks said.
Councilman R.L. Jones added: "We're getting more equipment with that one than we did with the first backhoe. We're getting a lot of extra (attachments). I think that's a plus for the city."
Crawford said Public Works has put about 5,000 hours on the 2010 backhoe.
"It goes everywhere," he said.
The ram attachment will help the city avoid a $750 per day equipment rental fee for projects like the one on Lockard Street, according to Parks.
Meanwhile, Crawford noted the wet weather has delayed progress on the Lockard Street project.
He has no timetable for its completion.
"It will be done as soon as it dries up and we can get to it," Crawford said. "That's what has been the hold up. Otherwise, it would have been done already. It's so wet. Even when we get it busted up and dug out, when it rains, we've got to wait until it dries to get back into it."
He added his crew must wait for the openings to dry out before patching them.
Also, Crawford told the board, along with Barker Brothers of Jonesboro, Luxora's Delta Asphalt is interested in doing some of the proposed street work.
For financial reasons, he suggested waiting until the end of the quarter to open bids for the work.
In June, the Streets and Drainage Committee gave its blessing to six proposed overlays, though the board decided to hold off on waiving bids until finding out if Delta Asphalt does projects of that size. Delta stays busy with larger jobs like overlaying highways, city officials have said.
Barker Brothers performed $424,326 in city street work in 2012. It has offered to overlay four streets and two intersections for $54,340 total.
Barker Brothers' proposal included overlaying Kari Lane and Kacey Street (16,500 square feet) for $16,500; the intersection of Grandview and Ward Street (2,500 square feet) for $2,500; Stuart and PJ James (10,715 square feet) for $10,715; the intersection of Grandview and Logan (3,000 square feet) for $3,000; Stuart at 18th and 21st (12,550 square feet) for $12,550; and Stuart at PJ James (9,075 square feet) for $9,075.
In the meantime, Crawford said the street crew is fixing potholes and doing the best it can with the available equipment.
Also Thursday night, Crawford reported that the new Public Works building is waiting for wiring. Once wiring is in place, the building should be completed quickly.
Phillip Dever's college class is doing the electrical work at no cost to the city.
Snow noted Dever has been busy with shutdowns at the local factories.
Crawford said the old Public building would be good storage facility for equipment, but its flat roof is "absolutely gone."
"I thought about maybe getting a 6-foot slope to it and putting a metal roof on it," Crawford said. "I think that would alleviate the whole problem,"
He added one can't put a price on storage buildings, which protect equipment from the weather and help prolong their lives.
Meanwhile, Crawford is still gathering proposals for a mini-excavator to be used for ditch work. Currently, the drainage crew is working with shovels.
Crawford has some figures from Searcy-based Henard Utilities, but he wants to get an estimate from a Jonesboro company as well.
Public Works is looking for a 50-horsepower excavator with attachments, including an arm reach, and a package that includes a trailer.
Crawford anticipates the cost would be in the $65,000-70,000 neighborhood.
"Now, that's a ballpark; I may be way up or too low," Crawford said.
Parks said: "With the bids you had on doing the ditch work, it wouldn't take long to pay for the excavator."
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com