Purchase of Sanitation Trucks Approved

The township council on Tuesday night approved the purchase of three automated sanitation trucks.

The township will purchase the trucks from Fair Haven borough, in Monmouth County, where they are no longer needed. Business Administrator Scott Pezarras said the three trucks will cost $210,000 combined.

"That is some $500,000 under the cost of purchasing those trucks new," Pezarras said last week, adding that all of the trucks are in good condition.

The three trucks would replace three of Brick's current automated sanitation trucks that are about 14 years old and ready to be retired, Pezarras said.

"The bodies are starting to rot out of those, and they require constant welding," Pezarras said.

The old trucks will be sold through the GovDeals service, an online government surplus auction site that connects public agencies with buyers of surplus equipment.

The trucks are designed to pick up the 90 gallon trash receptacles that residential homeowners put out at the curb on garbage day.

The township also recently purchased two other trucks that will be used to pick up larger dumpsters that are placed in condominium complexes. Currently, the township has outside contractors performing this work, and Pezarras said bringing that service in-house will save about $180,000 per year.

Responding to a question posted by Councilman Bob Moore at a previous work session meeting, Pezarras said the manufacturer of the three trucks being purchased recommends that snow plows not be fitted to them. Pezarras said that the estimated working life of such trucks is five years, and many in Brick's fleet last between 10 and 14 years.

"I wouldn't want to cut that to five years, and put that burden on the township," he said.