By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich-By a 5-0 vote on Monday night the village council OK’d the lease of a new John Deere 620G Motor Grader. The cost of the governmental operating lease is five annual payments of $21,086.98 based on 500 hours per year. Then turn the machine in or purchase for $140,962.25. To purchase the grader the cost is $206,996. The grader will have a bumper to bumper warranty.
The village currently owns a 1988 Champion 720A. The trade in value is $10,000. The village paid $30,000 for the grader in 1988. The bid for the grader is from Saginaw-based AIS Construction Equipment. The pricing is based on the MiDeal State Contract pricing.
Ethan Campbell, from the village DPW, said over the last five years the village has invested about $20,000 in repairs to the current grader. The village DPW operates two trucks with plows for snow removal. The road grader is used to grade the gravel roads in the village and push snow of more than about 2 inches, added Campbell.
“This is nothing fancy,” said Campbell.
Council member Jake Vick suggested bids outside the village to do the work required by the road grader.
“I think it would be wise to check and see what it would cost for Genesee County Road Commission to grade the roads,” said Vick. “That’s what the grader is primarily used for. That’s a pretty good cost to purchase it or do the lease. I think before we move on this large of a purchase it would be wise to get some bids.”
Mark Baldwin, village president questioned the bid process of caring for the village roads.
“You’re not going to get the same service,” said Mark Baldwin, village council president. “They (the GCRC) will plow you when they get to you.”