MILFORD – A new utility truck needed to plow snow this winter will have to wait another two weeks, council learned Monday.
Milford council members were ready to vote on a $83,282 utility truck with plow blade, salt spreader and dump bed from W.A. Jones and Sons when a representative from Hoosier Trailer and Truck objected.
Michael Burke, Outside Truck Equipment Sales for Fort Wayne-based Hoosier, said he was asked by the town not to include a plow in his bid, which council considered along with seven others at their meeting last month. Milford Utilities Superintendent Randy Veach, who sent out requests for bids, said he didn't think Hoosier carried the brand of plow he was looking for.
Burke asked council to consider the bids again. Milford Attorney Jay Rigdon, who was absent from the July meeting, agreed it was necessary to start the process over again since not all suppliers were given the same information.
"There should be the same piece of paper in front of everybody that says what they're bidding on, so the numbers they bid on are on the same footing," Rigdon told council. When Dennis McIntyre, the representative for W.A. Jones, compared it to a game of poker where players had already seen each other's cards, Rigdon added, "You don't want to be in a position where somebody is playing a different game."
Council voted to reject all previous bids then agreed to accept quotes, rather than bids, from the same suppliers involved, and will review them at a special meeting Aug. 22 at 6 p.m.
Also during the meeting, council voted to hire John Blakeslee as wastewater treatment plant operator, and to appoint Matt Ripley interrim plant operator. Blakeslee is currently working on his license, and will ultimately replace departing operator Mark Brubaker.
Council also discussed hiring two more reserve police offers at the request of town Marshal Rich Miotto. An extra two would mean a total of six reserve officers, which Miotto said would be the ideal, but he acknowledged that there are equipment costs of around $2,000 per officer even though it's not a paid position.
Councilman Doug Ruch asked if they could "get more out of" current part-time officers for that cost instead. Miotto replied that it sounds good in theory, but availability is still a problem since the part-time officers also work for other agencies.
