$1.3M Plow Truck, Parks Vehicle Plan Pitched

The Elicker Administration has proposed spending $1.3 million in federal pandemic-relief aid on buying new trucks and parks maintenance vehicles for the city’s public works department.

That spending plan request was included as a communication on the agenda for Monday’s full Board of Alders meeting. The proposal now advances to an aldermanic committee for review before the full Board of Alders takes it up for a final debate and vote.

According to the legislative submission and a Dec. 13 letter written to the alders by city Director of Parks and Public Works Jeffrey Pescosolido, the Elicker Administration would like to spend $1.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) aid ​“subsidizing the purchase of vehicles in support of Parks & Athletic field maintenance and services provided by Public Works.”

This federal money will go towards the replacement of ​“aging equipment as identified in the 5‑year vehicle replacement plan, vehicles necessary in the delivery of services to New Haven’s residents,” Pescosolido wrote.

The parks and public works director listed the following vehicles as top priorities for this $1.3 million spending plan: 

• Two Class VIII Dump/Plow Trucks. Cost per vehicle: $240,000. ​“Class VIII vehicles utilized throughout the year majority of support during the winter season plow/sand operations, several front line trucks have service lives of 20 years,” Pescosolido wrote. ​“Additional functions supporting street sweeping, bulk trash collection, construction activities.”

• Two Grand Master Cutters. Cost per vehicle: $130,000. ​“Grand Master Cutters required equipment in the maintenance of New Haven’s Parks and athletic fields. Numerous fields have been identified for improvements and the required maintenance may be achieved with the replacement of the aging cutting equipment. Proper maintenance will enhance athletic performance and safety to the athletes.”

• One Mason Dump Truck. Cost per vehicle: $100,000. ​“Mason Dump Trucks [complement] the Parks crews in providing services to the Parks and athletic fields. These utility vehicles are versatile primarily functioning in the role of transporting supplies and materials to and from work sites. Vehicles support winter snow operations plowing/sanding.”

• Three Hook Lift Trucks Class IV. Cost per vehicle: $140,000. ​“Hook Lift Trucks versatile vehicles to be utilized by the Department 4 seasons. The Class VI vehicle is a mid sized plow truck capable of maneuvering through the narrow streets of New Haven. The hook lift body is an interchangeable body supporting numerous Parks/Public Works functions. Body accessories: flatbed, dump body, tanker truck, rack body, box truck, compressor, roll off dumpster….”

This latest ARPA spending proposal comes as the alders signed off this week on spending $4.5 million in federal pandemic-relief aid on new police cars, fire trucks, and fire hydrant fixes. Local legislators have already approved spending $53 million in ARPA aid on a mix of housing, vocational technical education, youth engagement, business support, and climate resiliency initiatives, and an additional $43 million on everything from police department surveillance cameras to expanded youth employment programs to a new Department of Community Resilience to budget mitigation efforts for funds lost during the height of the pandemic. And the alders are also currently considering a $3 million plan to fund a new math and literacy tutoring program designed to help up to 1,500 public school students catch up on learning loss during the pandemic.