Daniel Prince
Town Administrator says it will save time and money when a water line leaks
The Town of Jonesville moved closer toward self-sufficiency in repairing service lines for the water department Tuesday night, as Jonesville Town Council voted to authorize Town Administrator Michael Tyler to purchase a mini excavator. Tyler said the person who has been contracted to do the work for the town is going up in rates and will no longer service the town’s lines as of the end of this month. He said another company has approached him about taking over the work. He said they have industrial plumbing experience but have never worked with a water system.
Tyler said he would prefer to purchase the excavator and he and one of the water system employees do the work. He said leaks can sometimes take weeks to be addressed, where if the work was done in-house, it could be addressed much sooner. Tyler said that he may have to call in help to repair main lines, but he estimated that at least 50-75% of the work that comes up could be handled by the town. The cost of the excavator would be approximately $45,000. Tyler said he would provide a final cost at the next meeting. He said upkeep on the equipment would be minimal, and it should pay for itself within 2-3 years with the savings on outside labor. He also noted that the garage that council had previously approved to house the town’s trailer and tractors should be large enough to house the mini excavator, as well. The equipment will be paid for from American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Jonesville’s Town Council also unanimously approved second reading of an ordinance establishing a Public Works Department, which would consolidate the town’s street, water, water administration, and sewer departments into a single department. The move will allow for more streamlined administration and a better experience for customers and taxpayers. Tyler said the consolidation should be complete by spring, as payroll will have to be changed, new checks will need to be printed, the town’s website will need to go online, and a company will be brought in to handle billing and online bill pay. We’ll have more from the meeting in tomorrow’s newscast.