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Public service approves items for county highway department

By Howard B. Owens

County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens had a few items approved today by the Public Service Committee:

  • The sale of surplus property, specifically a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1/2 ton 4x4 pickup truck.
  • Authorizing the county to enter into a consultant agreement with C&S Engineering for the final design of a new terminal and maintenance hangar at the Genesee County Airport. The total design contract is $240,024, with $199,500 being previously approved. The increase includes $11,111 in new state aid and $29,913 in airport deferred revenue. 
  • An agreement to work with the Town of Batavia on reconstruction of the intersection at Powers Road and Pratt Road. The project will eliminate a hill and fill in a dip, improving visibility for drivers approaching the intersection. The total cost of the project is $400,000 and will be covered in part by a 90 percent federal grant.
  • Authorized purchase of a new 4x6 dump truck, wing, plow and harder sander for $205,918 from Beam Mack Sales in Rochester. The highway department runs six such trucks "nonstop" Hens said. The trucks haul snow, salt, dirt, tree stumps and other material that needs moved place to place. "These are workhorse vehicles," said County Manager Jay Gsell.
  • Authorized the purchase of six Ford Fusions, a Ford Escape and a 12-passenger van from Van Bortel Ford, East Rochester, at a price not to exceed $165,360.
Timothy Hens

The 6 Ford Fusions, Ford Escape SUV and the 12 Passenger Van are part of the Motor Pool Fleet which is operated and maintained by the Highway Department. These vehicles are used by the various County departments including Social Services, Health Department, Mental Health, Sheriff's Investigators, Facility Maintenance, etc.

The fleet is operated on the basis that it is cheaper to own and maintain cars/vehicles for employee use rather than pay employees IRS mandated mileage for using their own vehicles for County business. Many of the vehicles transport clients, patients and residents and many of the vehicles have specific equipment or needs such as Weights and Measures or Facility Maintenance.

We do perform a cost-benefit analysis on the operation of the fleet each year to ensure that the total cost to operate the fleet is cheaper than paying mileage. In 2012, the County saved $62,000 versus paying equivalent mileage to employees. In 2011, the savings was $51,000. The saving are dependent on usage of vehicles, cost of IRS reimbursement rate and obviously the overall age/care given to the fleet.

Jan 15, 2014, 4:08pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Authorizing the county to enter into a consultant agreement with C&S Engineering for the final design of a new terminal and maintenance hangar at the Genesee County Airport. The total design contract is $240,024, with $199,500 being previously approved. The increase includes $11,111 in new state aid and $29,913 in airport deferred revenue. ............

Did the county legislators approve building a new terminal...How much will that cost the taxpayers?..This is a quarter million dollars for plan to build something that no one wants?.But they have no money for the county nursing home...Is this why they voted to raise the tax rate?...It this also the reason they took a vote to over ride the 2% tax cap?...Why isn't there private investment for the airport? ,why is it always on the taxpayers back to fund something that is mostly used for recreational use?

Jan 15, 2014, 4:11pm Permalink

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