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Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Macon council committee OKs purchase of garbage carts

Macon residents who need a garbage cart should be able to get one soon. The City Council is expected to approve the purchase of 3,600 new ones today.

The mayor’s office couldn’t provide a timetable for the carts to be available, but Keith Moffett, the mayor’s director for internal affairs, said the administration is well aware of the backlog of people waiting for carts.

The 95-gallon carts will come from Rehrig Pacific Co., which the council’s Appropriations Committee named as the successful bidder on the contract Monday.

They’ll cost the city a total of about $146,000.

The purchase still must be approved by the full council at tonight’s 6 p.m. council meeting.

Other purchases that passed the committee Monday were:

Ÿ The lease of 60 golf carts for Bowden Golf Course, which is owned by the city. Parks and Recreation Director Mike Anthony said the carts can be leased for $32,000 a year. Councilman James Timley, an avid golfer, said the course doesn’t have “one golf cart that will go 18 holes,” largely because of battery problems with the carts. Said Timley: “It’s embarrassing.”

Ÿ $14,587 for a midsize, four-door sedan from Peach County Ford.

Ÿ $45,417 for three new fuel islands for the city’s dispensing stations. They will be purchased from Meco Inc.

Ÿ $27,322 for two new half-ton regular cab pickups for the city’s Bureau of Inspections and Fees. The trucks will come from Riverside Ford.

Ÿ $21,874 for a new van for the Public Works Department. The van will come from Riverside Ford. Initially, the city was going to purchase the van from Brannen Motor Co., but council members decided to go with Riverside Ford, which was slightly more expensive but is a Macon company.

Ÿ $101,842 for a roll-off truck to haul large “roll-off” trash containers. The truck, for the Public Works Department, will be purchased from Transpower Inc.

Ÿ $26,848 for a 3/4-ton pickup truck for the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department. The truck will be purchased from Riverside Ford.

Ÿ $98,900 for a rescue extraction vehicle for the fire department. The vehicle will be purchased from Custom Truck & Body Works and will replace a 14-year-old model, according to the department.

Ÿ $51,623 for 13 breathing devices for the fire department. They will be bought from Fisher Scientific Co.

Ÿ $22,345 for five “air lifting bags” for the fire department from NAFECO. These devices are used to lift vehicles or other heavy things off of victims so they can be rescued.

All of the proposed items are in the 2010 budget already approved by the council, and this largely is a matter of selecting the vendor, Appropriations Chairman Mike Cranford said.

To contact Travis Fain, call 744-4213.