Russellville to replace tractor
An equipment purchase approved for the Russellville Street Department represents a big step up for street maintenance.
Street Superintendent Shannon Wilson made the city council aware of the need for upgraded equipment at a recent meeting, which began the search for the machinery that would best meet the city’s needs. The first purchase, approved May 1, will be a $72K John Deere tractor – which, purchased new, would a little more than twice that much, Wilson said.
Russellville’s current tractor
“The street department is in dire need of one,” Wilson said as he recommended the equipment purchase. “This is a really nice tractor,” he added – unlike a few others the council opted against purchasing.
The tractor, Mayor David Grissom explained, became available to the city through the state Department of Transportation’s surplus program, which makes such equipment available to cities and counties at a fraction of the cost of buying new or at auction.
“Shannon did a good job of trying to make a wise decision,” Grissom commended. “This will be a good upgrade. A backhoe is next on the list.”
The tractor is mainly used for bush hogging ditches and handling limbs that are hanging over into the street. Grissom said it is used almost daily in city operations.
“(The tractor) we have presently in the street department that this will replace is from the ’90s, and it has 20,000-plus hours on it,” Wilson said. “It’s costing us a lot of money for maintenance each year. We need to upgrade to some newer equipment. It will be a big asset to the city, to keep the right-of-ways cleared.”
The council also approved:
- the MuniCode Agreement, which will ultimately will make all of Russellville codes and ordinances available online.
- the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Grant Contract, a grant that will fund a downtown district survey that will enable downtown businesses to apply for historical preservation grants.
- an extension request from Hovater’s Metal Work for the completion of the Hal Kirby Jr. Park Improvement Project.
- the Parks & Recreation soccer contract.
