Houlton, Maine –After exploring purchasing opportunities and conducting research, the town will buy a forklift instead of a skid steer loader for use between several municipal departments.
During a meeting on Tuesday evening, the Town Council authorized Town Manager Marian Anderson to waive the bid process to purchase a 2007 Daewoo G25-3 forklift for $10,500 from Kearney Pallet Inc. of Mars Hill.
The council also authorized a $6,627.75 expenditure from the Public Works Equipment Account and $1,872.25 expenditure from the Capital Reserve Account toward the total cost of the forklift.
Public Works Director Chris Stewart said the forklift would be used to move heavy equipment around, including bringing wing blades and plow blades inside Houlton Municipal Garage, and to help out the mechanics, as there is no chain lift system inside the mechanic’s bay.
Millar Civic Center also does not have a forklift and needs to rent one when it is required.
At a meeting earlier this month, Councilor Bill McCluskey said that he found forklifts were “horrible” on unstable ground and in ice and snow and wondered about spending more money to get something more versatile, such as a skid steer loader with attachments. Stewart acknowledged that if he had a choice, he would prefer a skid steer because of the different attachments that could be affixed to it.
The council ultimately decided to table the matter so that Stewart could research possible skid steers and then come back to the council with the new information.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Anderson said that Stewart had conducted research and met with employees at the civic center.
Stewart acknowledged that although he would have liked to have had the skid steer, it was not the right fit. He said that he had conducted measurements at both the civic center and the town garage and run into issues.
“I appreciate you looking forward at a machine that can do everything,” he said. “But right now, this forklift is what we need.”
Councilors voted unanimously to approve the purchase.
