Maintenance is costly, but cheaper overall: mayor

By Mark Squibb
October 6, 2023 Edition

Paradise council has approved a number of vehicle repairs, including to one of the Town’s dump trucks.

Councillor Patrick Martin said the truck had to be brought to the garage after the engine began spewing white smoke.

As assessment determined that the turbos and air tanks had to be replaced at a cost of $21,913, HST included. Council approved the repairs unanimously.

The next repair was for a garbage truck.

The Town sent that truck to the garage due to a lack of power, where it was determined that both the intake manifold, a piece of the engine that ensures that air is being evenly distributed, and the EGR valve, an important piece of equipment that controls the flow of exhaust gas, had to be replaced at a cost of $15,341, HST included.

Finally, council voted on additional repairs for a front-end loader that had been brought to the garage this past summer for a full assessment ahead of the coming winter season.

During the assessment, mechanics found the main centre pins and steering pins needed to be repaired, along with a number of engine tubes and injectors. The parking brake also needed to be replaced, and an engine leak was discovered that needed to be fixed. Council approved the repairs at a cost of $24,300, HST included, back in June.

Since then, additional costs for machine work had been identified to the tune of $5,405 plus HST, bringing the total to $29,705, HST included.

Mayor Dan Bobbett argued that as the price to purchase the vehicles new would be well over a million dollars, the $60,000 in repairs was well warranted.

“This is money well spent maintaining our fleet,” said Bobbett.

The repairs are the latest in a long line of vehicle repairs.

In August, council approved the purchase of new batteries for one of the town’s electric Zambonis at a cost of $20,695, HST included, plus $1,403, HST included, in installation fees. Council in August also approved $43,150, HST included, in repairs for one of the Town’s 2013 front end loaders. In July, council approved $12,414, HST included, in repairs for a snowblower, and in June, council approved $17,239, HST included, in repairs for a different loader.