Chatfield Approves Street Equipment Replacement Purchases

Public Works director, Brian Burkholder detailed plans to replace three pieces of street equipment at the city council’s October 28 meeting, as recommended by Burkholder and the Personnel/Budget Committee.

Burkholder explained they have been working on the replacement of a 2008 Pelican Street Sweeper for a year. It was due to be replaced in 2024. They looked at 7 to 8 year-old street sweepers. Burkholder recommended the trade of the older street sweeper for a 2017 Pelican Street Sweeper at a cost of $129,000 with trade, pending final inspection in February 2025. The amount is just under the Capital Plan amount for the replacement. The purchase was approved as presented.

Burkholder requested approval to purchase a 2025 524P John Deere loader with the trade of the current 2022 524P John Deere loader, which is up for replacement in 2025. The Capital Plan lists a 3-year rotation for the loader. The purchase of the new 2024 loader with trade for the amount of $37,388.87 was approved and is to be delivered in February 2025. The loader has a 3-year warranty. The cash price for the new loader is $204,388.87; the trade-in value of the old loader is $167,000.

The city council then approved the purchase of a 2024 Metal Pless Pro 1248 snow pusher, to be delivered in February 2025. Burkholder noted the Metal Pless Pro was more durable than the 2019 HLA 520W snow pusher (purchased in 2018) so it can be moved from a 6-year rotation to a 9-year rotation. The snow pusher will cost $44,865.81 without trade. It was decided to advertise the old snow pusher on Public Surplus in January, to see if it can bring more than the offered trade-in value.

Other Business in Brief

• City Administrator Michele Peterson announced the first review of the proposed 2025 additions and/or changes to the Financial Management Policy. The updates to the policy have been reviewed by the Personnel/Budget Committee and have been distributed for further review. No action was taken this day.
• Mayor John McBroom commented on the Committee of the Whole meeting prior to the city council meeting. Financial advisor Mike Bubany used graphs to demonstrate financial impacts on the budget and utility rates in future years related to planned Capital outlays.
• The General Election is on November 5. Polling will take place at the Center for the Arts and will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
• Street sweeping will begin next week or the week after.
• The Local Government Annual Report covering historic preservation activities in the city during the fiscal year from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024, was approved.
• A resolution authorizing grant acceptance in the amount of $4,000 from Compeer Financial for the purpose of Emergency Response Equipment needs was adopted. Grant funds are to be used for one set of PPE (personal protective equipment).
• A resolution authorizing funding for Rolling Hills Transit from the city of Chatfield in the amount of $2,000 for each of the next five years was adopted. The allocation will help with the local match funding to be dedicated to the improvement and maintenance of rural public transit services.
• Chatfield accepts liability coverage limits of $2 million from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) for the city’s Property & Casualty Insurance renewal for 2025. The city does not waive the monetary limits on municipal tort liability established by Minnesota Statutes 466.04.
• Approval was granted for the use of City Park for school Christmas trees to be displayed from mid-November through February 3, 2025.
• CCTV Seasonal contracts for Andy O’Connor (boys basketball), Damon Lueck (girls basketball), and Chatfield Wrestling Booster Club (wrestling) were approved.
• Payment of an invoice in the amount of $21,843.71 for the TMO Project was approved. The TMO (transportation management organization) study is a comprehensive assessment of transportation challenges in the 11-county area of southeast Minnesota. The invoice from Alta Planning & Design includes work performed through September 27, 2024.
• Approval was granted for the use of City Park, one block of Fourth St. adjacent to the Center for the Arts, and Mill Creek Park/Ice Rinks for ChillFest activities on February 1, 2025.