EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – The City Council approved Public Works Director Chad Birdsong’s request Monday to buy a 2022 vacuum truck to help keep city water and sewer lines clear.

The council considered outright purchase or rent-to-own options. Buying the truck cost $413,065, versus $439,000 if secured through rent-to-own, Birdsong said. Approval followed Birdsong’s appeal to the council

Approval followed Birdsong’s appeal to the council Jan. 18. At that time, a call from the council to approve the purchase failed. But City Manager Molly McGovern expressed support that night for the purchase. She focused on the importance of helping landowners keep drainage pipes clear under driveways and saving city insurance money when there are boil orders.

“The insurance cost for a claim is every bit of $25,000,” she said.

Councilman Stephen Spear said he wanted the city to use new equipment but balked at the cost.

“I just want to be able to explain to someone who’s already upset about their water and sewer rates why we’re spending almost a half a million dollars on a piece of equipment without really looking at are there other options,” he said.

Spear said he would like to find out “what are other like-sized communities doing when they have this type of an expense ticket.” Most likely, small communities farm out the work, Birdsong said.

“Some of your smaller ones don’t have the money to even buy a flusher truck,” he said. “So they either go from … calling somebody only when there’s a (water/ sewer) backup and they come and address it, and they may not even have … an annual program or flushing.”

The option would not be wise for Excelsior Springs, Birdsong said. The city flushes water mains daily, unless there is “sub-freezing” or other weather issues, he said.

In a Feb. 1 memo to city leaders and again during Monday’s live-streamed meeting, Birdsong presented an in-depth report exploring options of buying a new versus a top-quality used truck. Other issues included using cooperative bidding services like Texas-based HGACBuy to help secure equipment. Sharing the results of a Jan. 28, 21-city survey, he cited metro area communities like Pleasant Valley, Independence and Raymore as examples of those that use cooperative bidding to obtain equipment.

Spear thanked Birdsong for his “extra legwork” Monday and said he also had called “multiple cities, multiple vendors” to get feedback.

Mayor Sharon Powell thanked Birdsong for his extensive research.

“That was a labor of love, right?” Powell asked.

“Oh, yes,” Birdsong said. “Just another day at the office.”

Correction: The Excelsior Springs City Council opted for the three-year, “lease-purchase” of a vacuum truck totaling $439,948.56, not the outright purchase of the truck for $413,065. We regret the error.