Montgomery Director of Public Works Mark Wolf | Village of Montgomery
Montgomery Director of Public Works Mark Wolf | Village of Montgomery
At its April 24 meeting, the Montgomery Village Board of Trustees vented frustration over a nearly $5,000 price increase in the cost of a public works truck ordered from JX Peterbilt.
Public Works Director Mark Wolf told the board it faced a $4,901 price increase for the new Peterbilt 548 swap loader truck which would be added to the Public Works Department.
“This is a new additional vehicle that's being added to the Public Works Department,” Wolf said.
It was noted the village had first ordered a 348 model in the spring of 2021, but the model had been discontinued and the village instead ordered the 548 model. The heavy-duty truck is an addition to the department, meaning it won't be replacing a used truck to sell off to offset a portion of the cost.
“This has been obviously a very painstaking process as we look at not only our large vehicles, but really all of our vehicles and equipment as procurement is getting to be more and more challenging and seems to continue to be that way,” Wolf said.
The board was told the village used to order its trucks for the Public Works Department from International but switched to JX Peterbilt more than five years ago, a move Wolf supported.
“We currently have four Peterbilts,’ he said. “We've been very happy with their service and their dependability as far as the dealership goes. Also, the vehicles themselves have served to be great trucks for us.”
Wolf also pointed out that if trustees were to cancel the contract and order from another manufacturer, they would be faced with a two-year wait from the order date.
The board was told the latest price increase was the third since the truck was first ordered two years ago. The first price increase, for about $19,500, was to cover increased costs in computer chips, according to trustees, and the second increase, for $17,000, was deemed a general increase.
Trustees expressed their frustration over the increases and having no truck to add to the fleet even though it has been in the works for two years.
Acknowledging that other communities are facing similar issues, the board approved the cost increase.
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