Sweep Dreams: City Eyes $243K Street Sweeper Replacement

MELROSE, MA — On June 18th, the city's lone street sweeper was meandering up Ferdinand Street when the brakes gave out. The sweeper slowly reversed back down the hill until the driver cut into an uphill driveway, slowing it down. The 16-year-old behemoth went back out to the street, finally coming to rest against a rockwall.

No injuries, "minimal property damage," and an "amazing job" by the driver, according to DPW Director Elena Proakis Ellis.

But it was clear the sweeper's best days were behind it. It was time to go shopping.

Mayor Paul Brodeur is asking the City Council to approve a $243,285 purchase of a new Elgin Pelican street sweeper, money that would come out of the Capital Stabilization Fund. (The city may be able to offset some of the cost by trading in the current one.) The DPW had hoped to petition for the use of free cash in the spring, but there were higher priority items.

The city has has a spring and fall street sweeping cycle, as well as working the main roads during the summer. It uses its own sweeper during the spring and summer and contracts out the fall season, which sees much more debris.

It costs about $28,000 to pay for the fall sweep. With constant repairs being needed for it's own sweeper, the city decided it's about time for a replacement.

"This is equipment that is definitely beyond its useful life," Proakis Ellis told Patch. "It's critical equipment for us to have. It's not just our routine sweeping but it's also when we're doing construction or when have an incident like a storm. Having that in-house equipment is invaluable."

The item is on Monday night's Appropriations Committee agenda.