By Megan Kelley
Staff Writer
LAKE ORION — During its meeting on Nov. 13, the Lake Orion Village Council approved the purchase of a new three-yard dump truck through the State of Michigan MIDeal bid program.
The truck will cost $94,352 and will increase the village’s capacity to manage waste and maintain infrastructure as it will serve as both a dump truck and a plow, village documents state.
The village had previously budgeted for this purchase when council approved the budget, however, the budgeted amount was less than the actual cost of the truck.
“We did appropriate $80,000 in the budget for this purchase,” said village Manager Darwin McClary. “Unfortunately the cost for the vehicle and equipment came in over that amount, but we are able to make the necessary budgetary adjustments in the Major Street Fund and Local Street Fund to accommodate the additional cost without increasing the bottom line appropriations for either fund.”
Councilmember Nancy Moshier agreed the village needed a new truck, but raised concerns about having to take money from other accounts to make up for the difference in what was originally budgeted.
“We’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, we’re taking money from other accounts so I’m concerned about that,” Moshier said. “This is what we do in the village, we take money from other accounts and then we put it toward something else. So, that concerns me, but I totally agree, I’m totally for this. This is just my little pet peeve financially that we always seem to be bandaiding these funds.”
Councilmember Michael Lamb echoed Moshier’s comments and added that currently the DDA pays the village a “ridiculously low amount” for snow removal in the DDA district and suggested that contract be renegotiated.
McClary responded saying that that was something he was already planning on doing.
“It is an issue that we need to get worked out. We need to be reevaluating that contract on a regular basis to make sure that we are covering our cost in providing the services to the DDA,” McClary said.
The purchase was approved by a vote of 5-0.
Council President Jerry Narsh and President Pro Tem Teresa Rutt were absent from the meeting.