Operations at the Sandpoint Landfill east of Carlsbad should improve thanks to a heavy machinery purchase approved Tuesday by the Eddy County Board of County Commissioners.
Commissioners approved a budget adjustment of $440,000 for the Eddy County Public Works Department to purchase a dump truck to replace a leased scraping trash machine used at the landfill, read a County Commission document.
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Public Works Director Jason Burns said the lease contract on the spreader expired in February.
“We’ve done some number crunching and come to find out on some of the pieces of equipment that would be in the county interest to buy these items as we feel it would be more beneficial and cost efficient to the taxpayers and own these deals rather than pay the lease rates we’re currently seeing and experiencing,” he said.
Burns said there are some advantages to leasing equipment instead of purchasing it.
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“Which are the ones constantly in the trash and take the most wear,” he said.
According to a County Commission document, a cash balance from the Public Works Department Environment Fund paid for the dump truck.
Commissioners approved to reallocate $112,000 in heavy equipment money to purchase two utility trailers, two message boards and a piece of heavy equipment for road work, read a County Commission document.
Public works requested $52,000 for the trailers and message boards and $60,000 for a skid steer, the document indicated.
“You approved a budget adjustment last year for us to buy some heavy equipment with our savings on the roads surplus,” Burns said.
He said the trailers would be used to haul small equipment.
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“We can get those on a (trailer) tongue and pull behind a pickup,” Burns said.
He said the message boards would be used for some of the county’s larger road projects.
“(And) improve the safety and get the word out of what we’re closing,” Burns said.
District 5 Commissioner Sarah Cordova said the message boards are good advertisements to remind drivers to prepare for potential detours.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
