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Dunbar Township adds trucks to its fleet
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By Rachel Basinger
Published: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 9:00 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Dunbar Township supervisors are happy to see two new trucks in their fleet.
While one truck is a brand new 2012 Ford 550, the other truck is 20 years old but was a great find and buy for the township through the Federal Surplus Property Program that state Rep. Deberah Kula referred to the supervisors.
Supervisor Keith Fordyce said they had been looking for a truck and decided to call Kula's office to see if there was any grant money or other programs out there that they might be able to look into.
“I do try to help out when I can,” said Kula. “We're always searching for any type of a program that may be a benefit to the township supervisors or anyone in the district.”
When the supervisors approached her, she said she and her office staff began to search for an easy solution.
“Grants are just not there anymore and the ones that are there are so competitive,” Kula said.
That's when she recommended the supervisors look into the Federal Surplus Property Program.
Fordyce said supervisors found a 1993 dump truck that had just 5,000 miles on it. The township ended up paying just $1,200 for it.
Fordyce said the township had to replace the brakes, check the truck over and give it a paint job, but after all that, the township had about $10,000 in it.
“If this truck were bought brand new, it would have cost at least $70,000,” he said.
“It took a little bit of work, but they got something nice out of it,” said Kula. “The Dunbar Township supervisors aren't afraid to go the extra mile and do the immense amount of paperwork that goes along with this kind of program.”
Supervisor John Tabaj said the new Ford 550 cost about $69,000 and was a budgeted item that is being paid out of the general fund.
“When I came here (in 2007) our trucks were 10 to 12 years old,” he said. “We've been working to try and replace as many as we can.”
In 2009 the township got two new GMC trucks and last year the township bought this Ford 550, which just came in.
Tabaj said supervisors are hoping to buy one or two trucks this year.
“The breakdowns are just killing us, money wise and time wise,” he said. “Especially with winter maintenance. The people depend on that and they want you there yesterday.”
Rachel Basinger is a freelance writer.
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