East Franklin Looking to Buy New Work Truck

by Jonathan Weaver

East Franklin Township supervisors are hoping to use the profit from the sale of one truck to purchase another.

Last night, the trio of supervisors unanimously agreed to purchase a new small truck if they are able to sell a used 2007 Peterbilt to a local municipality.

Roadmaster Ron Lithgow explained that he would like to utilize the smaller truck.

“(We’d be able to) move around so much easier and do a better job cleaning up the intersections,” Lithgow said.

Supervisor David Stewart understood the roadmaster’s rationale.

“Last winter, the road’s stayed hard – but this year, it never froze. And you’ll get those nuisance snows you have to plow and (road workers) are tearing up the road, doing more damage than you are doing good,” Stewart said.

In May 2015, supervisors also unanimously agreed to purchase a 2015 Ford F550 dump truck.

The total-equipped cost totaled about $80,000 and was purchased through the state COSTARS cooperative purchasing program.

At the time, Vice-Chair Dan Goldinger also said the smaller trucks were utilized more than the larger dump trucks.

In November 2014, supervisors received a single bid for the 2001 GMC C8500 single-axle dump truck. The $12,000 bid from Toy’s Landscaping was $2,000 more than the minimum amount expected.

Township Resident Joe Zambotti recommended against purchasing another Ford F-550 because of high maintenance bills.

Supervisors are supposed to hear an update on the sale Monday evening.